The Truth Can Set You Free
by Miss Raye
Summary: AU set in 2015 - The impending marriage of Nikolas and Elizabeth should be a time of joy, but Katherine and her son, Spencer, have their own agenda. Also featured in the story... Stefan and Chloe.
1. Chapter 1

_Things to know - Spencer is Katherine's son. Way back in 1999 when Katherine said she was pregnant with Nikolas' child... well, she was. So the year now 2015 Spencer is nearly 16 years old. Lucky never returned -dead is dead in my world. Elizabeth has no children of her own... the rest should be explained in the story._

_Part I_

Spoon Island was awash in activity. Contractors swarmed over the island, readying the grounds for the coming nuptials. Flushed with happiness, Elizabeth stood just outside the front doors of Wyndemere, a clipboard in her hands and a brilliant smile on her face. That was how Nikolas found her, when he brought her coat out and wrapped it around her body. "You must be freezing!"

She leaned back into the warmth of his embrace and sighed. "I'm sorry," she offered, "I completely forgot to take it with me when I came outside. The landscapers needed me to tell them where to put the arbors, and then the gardener wanted me to talk about the flowers..."

Nikolas turned her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You would have stood out here for hours without your coat if I hadn't come out." His laughter was warm and she burrowed into his embrace to press her cheek against his chest to hear the sound vibrate. "If you're not careful, you're going to catch a cold and-"

"We're here!"

Elizabeth pulled away at the sound of Katherine's overly-cheery tone. She had every intention of standing on her own, her chin lifted to greet the older woman, but Nikolas had other plans. He draped his arm over her shoulders and tucked her up against his side.

"Hello, Katherine." His sharp tone softened as he looked at the handsome young man standing beside her. "Hello, Spencer... it's really good to see you."

Elizabeth grinned at the young man and touched her hand to Nikolas' chest, offering him a bright smile before turning back to their guests. "We're so glad that you're here, Spencer. We were hoping you would be able to come to Port Charles and stand up with your father at the wedding."

Spencer looked at his mother before replying. "We didn't have any other plans, although I had been hoping to go to Aspen or St. Barts."

The remains of Nikolas' jovial mood melted as he felt Elizabeth tense beside him. "Well," he sighed, "I believe Alfred is still in the foyer... if you go in he'll show you to your rooms."

Spencer took a few steps, stopping when he was just past Elizabeth.

She brightened, and gave him a smile hoping that he would have something more to say.

He obliged her in one way. Looking back toward the pier he nodded. "I'm sure you'll send someone for our bags."

It was Nikolas' turn to tense. Elizabeth's hand smoothed over his chest, coming to rest at his waist. She answered because she knew Nikolas wouldn't be able to regulate his tone. "As soon as you greet Alfred, he'll send someone for the bags."

Spencer walked inside without any further issues, but Katherine took advantage of the moment. Even with Elizabeth standing beside her fiancé, Katherine sauntered into the house, putting as much of a swing in her step as she could without making it difficult to walk. As soon as she was gone, Elizabeth turned to face Nikolas, and with her fingertips she smoothed the hard planes of his face. When he couldn't really meet her eyes she leaned forward and whispered. "Hey..."

He looked away, the muscle in his jaw flexing.

"Hey," she repeated and leaned up to press a light kiss on his lips, "remember me?"

"Hmm?" He was eager to play the game and keep his tone light... for her. "You would be... who, again?"

Her eyes flashed with a challenge and she smoothed her hands down his arms, feeling the strength of his muscles beneath the wool of his coat. "Me? Oh... I dunno... I must not be very important if you can't remember my na-"

Nikolas silenced her with a kiss, his lips slanting over hers as his hands slid from her waist to her lower back... and then over the curve of her backside. It was a rare show of public affection for the prince, but he'd seen the snap of frustration beneath the flicker of amusement in her eyes. He drew her tight against the hard lines of his body and deepened the kiss.

When he drew back a moment later she gazed up at him with a soft smile on her lips, lips that were slightly swollen from his kiss. He found the sight amazing. A true gift. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. You don't deserve this kind of treatment."

She shook her head. "I think most of it is directed at you. That seems to be the case when it involves Katherine. You forget that I've known her almost as long as you have, and," she paused to make sure he was listening to her, "she likes to get under my skin too."

Nikolas took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb over the back, feeling a bit of the chill warm away. "I should get you inside and thank you for putting up with this whole..." He searched for the right word.

Elizabeth was able to name it first. "Circus?"

Nikolas laughed and she felt like they had finally come full circle. "Exactly. And I want to thank you in advance for the next few days. Once the reception is over we'll be on our way to-" he stopped short and she leaned toward him waiting for him to continue. "I'm not going to tell you... Don't get your hopes up."

"I was hoping that you'd tell me so I can pack!"

Nikolas brushed a kiss over her nose. "I packed for you."

"You what?" Her eyes widened in shock. "Well Chloe did. She had your measurements, all I had to do was tell her what kind of climate and she took care of the rest."

Elizabeth couldn't find a single valid reason to be upset with him. She moved toward the door, drawing him along with her.

"Just wait," he spoke as they walked inside and shut the door behind them, "I'm sure dinner is going to be so much fun."


	2. Chapter 2

Part TWO

After dinner, Katherine mercifully went upstairs to her room to unpack her things. Nikolas and Elizabeth had gone into the library to relax and have a few moments to themselves.

Nikolas stretched out on the dark leather loveseat and gave the seat beside him a pat of his hand. With a bright grin, Elizabeth sat down beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Ahhh…" she sighed, "peace."

Pressing a kiss on her head, Nikolas stroked her cheek with his knuckles. "Remind me, again, why we don't run away before the wedding."

"Because," Elizabeth leaned back to look up at her fiance, "you know how important this is for your family. Besides, Stefan is looking forward to walking me down the aisle. You can't take that fun away from him."

Smiling, Nikolas nodded. "He rarely smiles, but when he talks about the wedding, he's almost… almost…" Nikolas searched for the word, but couldn't seem to find it.

Elizabeth brushed a kiss on Nikolas' lips. "Joyful?"

The Cassadine prince chuckled. "Exactly. When the tailor came to the island the other day, Stefan actually made a joke."

"A joke?" Elizabeth swallowed the uncertain lump in her throat. "Should we have a doctor out to see him?"

The two laughed together until they heard a discreet knock on the library door.

"Come in!" Elizabeth straightened on the chair, putting a few inches between them.

Alfred stepped in first, holding open the door for the servants to come into the room. Carried on their trays was a little after dinner feast that they staff had prepared.

"Miss Elizabeth," he announced ignoring the pointed look of his mistress, "the staff is looking forward to the official ceremony of your marriage in a few days. We have all seen how hard you work and we wanted to do something special for you and Master Nikolas."

Standing beside NIkolas she wiped at her eyes, earning a soft 'awww' from the assembled staff. "I thank you all for welcoming me into the family." Nikolas laughed a bit at that. "Over the years you've seen us through our trials and tribulations. You've soothed my nerves and bolstered my courage. You are all so very important to us."

The staff moved to the fireplace and set down their trays.

Elizabeth took in the largesse that they had brought for her and she blossomed with happiness. "Smores!"

"And other sweets," added Alfred, "just for you."

Touching her hand to Nikolas' chest she stopped him from protesting. "I will share with you, Nikolas… relax."

"Hmph," he groused, "considering that it came from my…. um… our kitchens." He gave her a wincing grin realizing he had gotten himself in trouble. "Thank you for sharing with me…"

The staff left, sneaking glances at the happy couple as Nikolas reached for a piece of chocolate and Elizabeth smacked his hand away.

* * *

><p>Stefan stopped short when he saw Katherine walking slowly down the hall toward the turret. "That part of the house is off limits until further notice."<p>

"Oh," Katherine tried to look like it didn't matter to her, "I was just familiarizing myself with the old place again… it's been so many years.

"That," Stefan reminded her, "was entirely your doing."

Her lips pursed into a perfect red bow. "That was a rather pointed remark, Stefan."

"I find it best to be direct when I speak with someone," he explained, "it keeps misunderstandings to a minimum." He saw this this words were lost on Katherine. "Over the years, you've had your opportunities to come to Spoon Island and visit."

"And each time," she shot back, "Nikolas sent 'us' away, Stefan. Do you remember that he sent his own son away, too?"

"Spencer was always welcome to stay, Katherine, but you used him as you tried to use Nikolas against me… as a pawn." He shook his head and sighed. "You chose to make Nikolas' son pay for the perceived slight you felt he visited upon you, but you have always failed to understand that your demands and ultimatums are the least attractive part of you."

"Oh?" Katherine had missed the point entirely and latched on to the surface of the argument. "Do you still find me attractive, Stefan?" She giggled and smoothed her hands over her night gown, completely missing Stefan's wince in reaction. "You yourself has aged well."

"I can see your allure for what it is, Katherine, your desire for power and circumstance. I am not a man susceptible to your wiles. I learned, like Nikolas, that your 'attentions' come with too high a price tag."

Lifting her nose in reaction to his comments, Katherine moved back toward her room. "Yes, well, neither of you understood what I could offer you. I was born to be the matriarch of a family like the Cassadines. I would have been a true successor to Helena's power. She will understand some day. And when that happens, you and Nikolas will find that Elizabeth is just as expendable as the rest of us."

Stefan took the pointed jab as a subtle threat toward Elizabeth. "You will leave her alone, Katherine. Thanks to you and your machinations, it has taken years for Nikolas to find true happiness. I will protect his future as doggedly as I would protect his life." Turning away, Stefan moved a few steps down the hallway before turning back to look her in the eye. "I would have thought the turret would have been the last place you'd want to visit… it wouldn't hold any… happy memories for you."

Before Katherine could say anything in response he continued. "But, if you choose to cause trouble before or at the wedding, I will personally take you up there to… reminisce about the past." He smiled, a predatory glint in his eyes. "I think you'll find it a 'rush.'"

* * *

><p>Spencer ventured down to the library for some quiet time. His mother had been reminding him to speak with his father about securing his position in the line of succession, and while he felt it was important to do, it felt strange to do it so close to their arrival at Wyndemere.<p>

He opened the door and stopped short.

His father sat beside the fireplace, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, holding a stick with a marshmallow on the end. Part of the white confection was charred and hanging from the rest of it by a thread. Turning to the couch he held out with a sheepish grin.

Elizabeth, from her place on the couch, laughed and shook her head. "Eww.. No! I asked you to toast it, not turn it into charcoal."

Nikolas shrugged and pulled the outer 'skin' from the marshmallow and put it in his mouth. "I told you to ask Cook to do it..."

Spencer could tell she was rolling her eyes from his father's expression. The head of the Cassadine family seemed to think all of his fiancé's disrespectful expressions were endearing.

"Cook is busy preparing tomorrow's rehearsal dinner for us... And our guests! Besides," she closed the tablet she had balanced on her lap, "I am perfectly capable of toasting a marshmallow on my own."

Elizabeth scooted off the couch and sat beside Nikolas on the long foot stool. Reaching out, she picked up a stick and marshmallow from the coffee table. "Let me show you how it's done, silly."

A puff of breath escaped Spencer's lips in a rush of indignant outrage.

The small explosion of sound drew the attention of the couple sitting side by side.

His father's immediate reaction hurt. Nikolas' expression turned to stone as he narrowed his gaze at his son. Spencer felt even more like an outcast then he had felt a few moments before.

Elizabeth was the exact opposite. Her smile brightened as she saw Spencer in the doorway. "Hey, you're just in time! Come on in and grab a stick... I was just about to make some Smores!"

Spencer moved a few feet closer and peered at the table. A small mountain of chocolate, several boxes of graham crackers, and an economy size bag of marshmallows spilled out onto wax paper completed their supplies. He couldn't help the sniff of disdain that lifted his nose into the air. "Mother doesn't allow processed foods." He saw the smile on her face falter and he felt sorry, but he couldn't help the words that seemed to fall from his lips.

His father's lips pressed into a thin pale line against his olive skin, and he would have said something if Elizabeth hadn't laid her hand gently on his thigh.

"I'm sorry, Spencer, I completely forgot. Still," she leaned forward and grasped the handle of the insulated carafe on the table, "this is hot chocolate... Organic and antibiotic free milk. We have gallons of the stuff to drink, or if you'd rather something else... I have some mulled cider brewing in the kitchen." She waited for him to respond with a look that he could only describe as hopeful on her face.

Part of him longed to sit down with them and enjoy the quiet evening before the fire, but he knew if his mother should find him there it would hurt her dearly and he couldn't cause her any more pain than his father had heaped upon her since his birth.

"I should get my book and go back upstairs, mother will wonder where I am."

Elizabeth's smile dimmed and Spencer turned away to examine the shelves at the far end of the room. As he skirted the furniture he kept glancing at the couple as though he expected them to say something or do something to tarnish the picture they had just presented to him.

As he perused the selection of leather bound volumes of Shakespeare he stopped for a moment, distracted by the soft melodic laughter that was easily recognizable as Elizabeth's voice. Lifting his gaze to an antique bronze wall-sconce he saw his father gaze intently into her face, placing a pinch of toasted marshmallow between her lips. Her lips closed over his fingertips and when Nikolas managed to free his fingers from her, his own lips replaced them.

It was a tender moment shared and again, Spencer felt the keen separation from his father. He looked at Elizabeth cuddle in his father's embrace and couldn't help but see her the way his mother did... The barrier to their happiness.

And in two days, when she married Nikolas, she would be in danger of destroying everything that Spencer held dear. His mother had told him what to watch for and so he would be vigilant… he would make sure that Elizabeth wouldn't pull his life apart… and the Cassadine legacy.


	3. Chapter 3

PART III

The next morning brought the last of their party to the island. Arriving by the first launch of the morning was Chloe Morgan Cassadine, designer and dear friend of the bride. Elizabeth was bundled up in her coat and standing in the war shelter of Nikolas' arms as they waited beside Stefan at the pier. When Chloe stepped off the launch it was Stefan's steadying hand that took hers and helped her onto solid ground.

Elizabeth saw the flush in Chloe's cheeks as she glanced up at Stefan, and she also saw the sparkle in the older man's eyes that only showed when he looked at his wife. "Welcome, Chloe! I'm so glad you could make it." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around the beautiful blonde and they laughed and spun about like little girls until the indulgent laughter of their men turned their heads. "You could both get on our bad sides very quickly!"

Stefan lifted his up hands in a helpless gesture. "Don't we always?"

Chloe's mock outrage was lost in her laughter. "You, husband, can sleep on the couch tonight."

"No," Stefan shook his head, "I won't." He held out his hand and Chloe walked over to take it. "I've been waiting for you for nearly a week, I plan to hold you all night long."

Nikolas walked up and drew Elizabeth back against his side, turning to block the cold harbor winds from her smaller frame.

"And you, Prince," Elizabeth liked to poke fun at his title, "if you aren't careful you'll be sleeping alone tonight."

He looked down at her, his eyes dark with mischief. "You wouldn't dare…"

Stefan cleared his throat. "I don't believe you two should be sharing a bed tonight.. isn't it customary for the bride and groom to-"

"I believe," Nikolas addressed his uncle, "it is customary for you to mind your business."

"Then perhaps," Stefan countered, "you shouldn't discuss your sleeping arrangements in public."

Elizabeth sighed as a mother would over her petulant children. "Chloe, dear."

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

Stepping forward, Elizabeth offered her friend her arm. "I don't believe the boys need us here to listen to them fight."

Chloe took Elizabeth's arm with a conspiratory wink. "I believe you are right. I think we should go in and make sure your gown is ready for tomorrow."

"What a lovely idea…" the two women walked inside giggling as they went.

Nikolas watched them go as his uncle stepped up beside him. "I believe we were dismissed."

Stefan sighed. "Yes, I believe so."

"You do realize," he asked his uncle, "that we're damn lucky they even keep us around."

"We certainly don't deserve them." Stefan chuckled deep in his chest. "But we won't let them know that."

NIkolas clapped his hand on his uncle's shoulder. "No we won't."

* * *

><p>After a light lunch of finger sandwiches and complaints by Katherine, Stefan met the launch and directed Judge Wallis to the main room of the house. Chloe, who acted in place of a wedding planner since she was so used to producing her fashion shows, directed the distinguished looking man to the front of the room, a few feet from the fireplace. From there she explained the chairs and who would sit where… she walked the bride up the carpet runner with Stefan at her side. At the doorway she pointed out Stefan's 'post' where he would meet the bride and guide her to the front. From there Chloe led Elizabeth up the stairs to the top where she would descend from the room that stood in for the 'Bridal Suite.' When they were up there, looking down the long expanse of stairs, Chloe leaned into her friend and whispered. "If you want to run… this is the time."<p>

Elizabeth covered her heart with her hand and shook her head. "I've waited years for this moment, Chloe… I'm doing this tomorrow and I'll be the happiest woman in the world."

The two embraced and then descended the stairs to rehearse with the judge.

That night at dinner, Katherine was back in fine form. She had commented on every dish that touched the table, finding them all lacking for one reason or another. When Stefan had had quite enough he raised his glass to his lips and commented before he took a sip. "Why, if I didn't know better I would have thought Mother was in the room."

"Stefan!" Chloe retaliated by nudging his leg under the table. "Stop it."

He shrugged. "I speak it as I see it."

Katherine didn't care much for his tone. "Come to think of it, why isn't Helena here?" She swept a curious look at Elizabeth. "Is it that she doesn't approve?"

Stefan sat up ramrod straight in his chair. "Katherine, I-"

"Grandmother was with us in Greece a few months ago. She prefers to stay out of the cold. Something you would know, Katherine, if you knew Helena."

The point was there, a barb in verbal form, but it had little influence on Katherine. She was a woman who made good aim with her own jabs but didn't seem to grasp the points made by others.

As evidenced by the way she continued. "Elizabeth, dear." Her words practically dripped with venom. "Some little birdy mentioned that you were actually going to wear white." She lifted her white glass to her lips, mimicking Stefan's gesture. "Perhaps that is why you opted for a judge… you don't have to worry about the priest calling you a wh-"

"Katherine!" Nikolas was on his feet. "May I remind you that you are a guest in _our _house. It would be best if you kept your thoughts to yourself. I know I don't want to hear you speak if you plan on abusing my w- Elizabeth." He looked at Spencer. "I want you here, son, but if your mother continues to say those kinds of things she will be asked to leave."

"And I," Spencer responded, his own posture rigid and straight in his chair, "will go with her, Father. I had hoped that you would want me at your wedding."

Elizabeth set her glass down quietly. "We do, Spencer, we would love to spend more time with you, but your mother-"

"You," Spencer nearly spat the word, "don't get to talk about my mother!"

Sitting back in her chair, Elizabeth set her hands in her lap. Only Chloe, sitting beside her, could see Elizabeth wringing the napkin in her hands below the level of the table. "I wasn't saying anything bad about her, Spencer. I just wanted to point out that-"

"Enough!" Spencer stood, flinging his napkin down at his place on the table. "I'm going to go upstairs and get some sleep. Tomorrow will be taxing enough."

Katherine couldn't hide her smile as she got up from her chair, placed her napkin down with a flourish, and walked away from the table.

The room she left behind was strangely quiet until Elizabeth spoke. "Well, I'm glad that the judge couldn't stay for dinner."

Chloe whipped her napkin up to hide her giggle. Nikolas rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, leaving Stefan to grin in approval of Elizabeth's comment.

* * *

><p>When they had retired for the evening, locked safely in their bedroom, Nikolas took a moment to watch Elizabeth as she combed her hair. He loved the way her hair shone in different types of light. He loved the way it fell around her shoulders, or bobbed in a ponytail when she put it up during hot weather. But mostly, he loved the way it spread out over their pillows or sheets when they made love.<p>

His breath caught in his throat as he watched her stand and move away from her vanity, pulling the silk robe from her shoulders. The dark navy blue silk was in stark contrast to her luminous skin. "You look beautiful."

She stopped, her hands the comforter, ready to turn it down. She looked up at him with a gentle smile. "You're not so bad looking yourself."

Nikolas removed his robe and dropped it on a chair back before he climbed into bed. He caught her gaze as its traveled from his chest to his abs and then lower. He smiled and leaned back against the pillows waiting for her to climb in as well.

Still, she stood there by the side of the bed, a pensive furrow between her brows.

Turning on his side, Nikolas watched her carefully. There was something worrying her. "What's wrong, honey?"

She smiled softly at the endearment. "I'm sorry to be like this." She sat beside him on the bed, but didn't relax into the feather soft bedding. "I was thinking about what Katherine said-"

Groaning, NIkolas covered his eyes. "I can't believe that you listened to her, Elizabeth… she's only trying to hurt you! If it wasn't for Spencer-"

"You'd throw her out on her ass and I love you for it. I know how much you want Spencer here, I do too!" She traced her fingertips over his toned abs and enjoyed the reaction she created. "But due to the clause in the custody papers…."

"Where he goes she goes… and vice versa." He groaned again. "If I had had a better attorney back then."

Elizabeth laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his middle. "You weren't the Prince back then… you were making your own money. You had a job that 'she' gave you-"

"And took away when she realized that I was going to fight her for custody."

She turned slightly and kissed his bare chest. "And she wanted to hurt me too… used Spencer to drive a wedge between us."

He raised his hand from the bed to touch her hair as she leaned down to kiss her forehead. "And I let her. All those times she demanded another chance and I gave in…"

"Because you wanted to be with your son." She swept her hand across his broad chest. "I never blamed you for that."

NIkolas nodded. "I know, but then you'd have some handsome doctor begging you for a date and I'd go Neanderthal on you and scare them away." He slid one hand down to the curve of her hip, splaying his fingers over her soft curve.

She giggled. "There were a few you didn't scare away… at first."

"Don't remind me," Nikolas covered his eyes with his forearm. "You almost married that Hunter guy."

"Almost," she sighed, snuggling closer, she draped her thigh over his, "but if I recall correctly there was something special about that night."

He grinned and turned to look at her with a twinkle in his eyes. "I believe that was the first time I had you against a wall… your legs wrapped around me." He slid down a bit in bed, turning on his side. He drew her closer. "My mouth on your neck, like this…" he leaned forward and nipped at her neck below her ear.

She turned her head to give him better access. "Oh yes… just like that." She slid her hand between them and under the waistband of his pants. She felt him tense as her palm flattened against his abdomen. "And I think I did this…" she slid her hand toward his feet and heard his hiss of breath as he struggled to draw air into his lungs.

"Yes," he moaned, "you did that… and," he felt her hand shift and he gasped out a breath, "yes, that too."

His lips seized her earlobe, drawing it between his teeth. When she finished trembling she whispered her last intelligible question of the night. "So does this mean I can't wear white tomorrow?"


	4. Chapter 4

PART IV

The day of the wedding began before the sun rose over the harbor. Three women made their way to the island on a helicopter. The winds across the harbor were too cold to subject anyone to at that hour and Nikolas had something special planned for his bride. Chloe woke Elizabeth as the helicopter touched down on the field by the stable. She very nearly dragged her from her feather bed by waving a full cup of coffee beneath her nose.

Elizabeth was fed and almost coherent when the three women, gawking a bit at the richly decorated home, entered the room that would serve as the Bridal Suite. For the next few hours, Elizabeth and Chloe were treated to a spa day where they were massaged and buffed, painted and plucked, and left in such as state as though they might never walk again from the blissful collapse they'd found when the women were done.

Elizabeth looked over at her friend and sighed. "I just want to lie here forever…"

"Don't get too comfortable," Chloe warned her, "after lunch, the hairdressers and makeup artists arrive."

Moaning, Elizabeth changed position on the chair, tucking her feet beneath herself. "Noooo… I don't think I want anyone to touch me ever again…"

Chloe turned on her chair, leaning her chin on her folded arms. "Don't let Nikolas hear you say that…"

They talked and laughed until the staff arrived with their lunch.

* * *

><p>Katherine just happened to be walking down the hall when the three spa specialists emerged from Elizabeth's room. Well, she had been lurking near her door all morning. She was quite put out that she had not been involved in the luxurious pampering session, but that was a distant second to her true injustice. Elizabeth's impending marriage to Nikolas.<p>

All these years she had kept Nikolas twisting in the wind. She had used Spencer to drive a wedge between the incredibly gorgeous couple. She had planted doubts in both Nikolas and Elizabeth. She had manipulated situations and distracted them from truths… she had been a one woman barrier to their happiness.

And now that there seemed to be nothing left she could do… she was still searching for something… anything.

She beckoned one of the ladies over into the shadows and whispered the prettiest lie she could. "I want to get my cousin something so very special," she assured her, "the bride that has everything must need 'something'... or maybe she mentioned something special that was happening while you gave her the treatments today." When her pretty words didn't do the trick, Katherine reached into her pocket and withdrew a wad of hundred dollar bills.

If she was going to destroy Elizabeth's happiness, she was willing to pay for it… dearly.

The woman looked at the huge wad of cash longingly, but instead she stepped away from Katherine and shook her head in an emphatic NO. She ran off a moment later to follow her friends down to the launch for their ride back to town.

That left Katherine with one last alternative. She moved down the hall with an easy walk, determined not to jump or start if someone should find her in the hallway. It wasn't like her to stoop to finding out things for herself.

Just her luck! With their arms weighed down by their supplies and bags, the ladies from the luxury spa had accidentally left the door open a hair.

Pushing herself into the shadows along the wall she used the mirror on the other side of the hall to see into the room.

Elizabeth. Katherine's perfectly manicured fingernails bite thirstily into her palms as she watch Elizabeth turns slowly around in a circle in a beautiful Empire-waisted gown of white silk. Kneeling at her side was Chloe, who had a tape measure slung around her neck and a wristlet pin cushion spiked with whisper-thin pins.

"I can't believe Chloe Morgan, world famous fashion designer, is on her knees in my Bridal Suite fixing my gown.. herself!"

Chloe laughed and shook her head, bouncing her golden curls about her shoulders. "It is my honor, _Mrs. Cassadine_." The two ladies giggled. "It shouldn't take more than an hour to alter this. I'm glad I left one of my old sewing machines here from my last visit."

"Oh, I know," Elizabeth groaned, "you gave me that sewing lesson and I was supposed to practice, but I didn't."

"It's quite alright," Chloe countered, "goodness knows you didn't expect to add a couple of inches to your waistline-"

Katherine felt anger curdle in her veins.

"It surprised us too!" Elizabeth slid her hands down to cover her abdomen, a wistful sigh in her voice. "We didn't want to make a big deal out of this-"

"Especially not right now with Katherine near you." Chloe's tone was full of ichor. "That's the last thing you want her to find out." Looking up at her friend, her eyes shone with sympathy. "She'd go crazy if she found out you were pregnant!"

Elizabeth touched a finger to her lips. "Shh… we shouldn't even talk about it until after I come back from the honeymoon."

Nodding in agreement, Chloe picked a pin from the cushion and reached for the side of Elizabeth's dress. "I agree." She turned her head from one side to the other, looking at the fabric. "There might be a few tiny holes from where the needle entered the fabric. This stuff is beautiful but it will hold its shape a little too good for our sakes… but," she grinned up at her friend, "everyone will be looking at your glowing face and not even notice the dress!"

"Riiight, because a Chloe Morgan design is so forgettable." Elizabeth laughed at her friend. "Not possible!"

Chloe smiled at her dearest friend. "Trust me, Elizabeth, with the sizzling energy that you and NIkolas give off… no one will be looking at the side seams of your dress."

Elizabeth fairly vibrated with happiness. "Hurry up and finish, I want to relax for a few minutes before the magicians show up to make me pretty."

In the hallway, Katherine was shaking with silent rage. Elizabeth was pregnant! Elizabeth had gotten herself pregnant BEFORE the wedding! How had Nikolas let that happen?

She pushed away from the wall and made her way back toward her room at the end of the hall. In her head her anger continued to scream at her, demanding answers. If Elizabeth was pregnant BEFORE she got married, what did that mean? Didn't she and Nikolas know that their bastard couldn't be heir to Nikolas' title and the Cassadine fortune? Could Nikolas have been so careless?

Or, she wondered, had he found a way to alter the law of succession that had governed the family for generations?

Was he going to change it so his child with Elizabeth would be the heir and not Spencer?

Katherine shut the door behind her with a soft, yet resolute, click. She had to think this through.. consider all the angles before she acted.

Still, there was one thing she was absolutely sure of… Elizabeth had to suffer for this affront… and if she died because of it, even better.

* * *

><p>The guests had arrived and had taken their seats.<p>

The judge was standing near the fireplace speaking softly to Nikolas and Stefan.

Chloe was upstairs preparing Elizabeth for the ceremony.

The only two people unaccounted for were Katherine and Spencer.

When Nikolas realized who was absent, he looked at Stefan for help. His uncle, a man he loved like a father, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and nodded. "I'll go and find them. You just stand here and try not to sweat through your tuxedo."

Spencer found his mother in the garden, digging the toe of one of her Jimmy Choo shoes into the dirt at the base a tree. Her mouth was twisted in an angry curve and her hands were curled up like talons biting into the flesh of her palms.

"Mother?"

At the sound of her son's voice, Katherine turned her face away, curving her shoulders in defeat. She hid her satisfied smile from him as well. "Go away, Spencer. Let me suffer in peace."

"Mother, please." Spencer moved up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, gently squeezing to show her his support. "Tell me what's wrong."

She trembled and knew that Spencer believed her to be sobbing. "I've tried so hard-" she hiccuped and continued, "tried so hard to take care of you."

"I know, Mother… you've been so good to me."

Katherine raised her hand and touched Spencer's hand on her shoulder, she knew he would feel the blood from her fresh nail-inflicted wounds on her palms.

"Please," he begged her, "let me help you, Mother."

Pulling away from Spencer she hid her face in one hand, watching him through the spaces between her fingers. "I thought that your father would understand that he too needs to watch out for you.. for your future, but I finally understand that he doesn't care about you… or your place in the family… not at all!"

"Mother, you're not making sense! Please tell me-"

"He's not going to let you inherit his title, Spencer. Your father is already planning on a child with Elizabeth! He's going to turn his back on you… completely!"

She let a moment of silence go after her last word before she wrapped her arms around herself and started to sob.

"You're wrong, Mother… there must be some kind of misunderstanding! My father… he… he cares for me! He has said so numerous times-"

"Oh he does?" Katherine had to work to keep the note of triumph from her voice. "Then tell me why he's so determined to marry her? Shouldn't he be grooming you to take his place in the family years from now?"

"I'm not even 16 yet, Mother. He must be waiting for me to be older-"

"Your father was in charge of the family holdings before he reached his age of majority, why can't he see the need to instruct you now… unless," she looked up at her child, tears coursing down her cheeks, "unless he is already planning a family with… with… HER."

Spencer couldn't seem to put words together. He heard the anger in his mother's voice and understood how much she worried about his future. It was humbling, really. He wanted his mother to be reassured.. he wanted her to understand that his father was looking out for him.

"Mother, I think you ought to go back to the house, the ceremony should be starting soon."

"How can I do that when your future… when your future is ruined!"

He embraced her carefully and smoothed his hands over her back. "Don't you worry, Mother. I'm going to take care of this."

A few moments later, Spencer disappeared behind a hedge, heading back toward the house. When she was certain he was too far from her to hear… she laughed.

* * *

><p>Spencer watched from the shadows as Chloe left the Bridal Suite and murmured toward the slightly open door. "I need to make sure that the quartet knows their cues… you just get ready and when you hear the music come down and in less than an hour, this will all be over.<p>

He waited until he heard the echoes of her footsteps go silent and then he moved toward the door.

With one last steadying breath, he raised his hand and knocked.

"Did you forget something, Chloe, I-"

Elizabeth stopped short when she saw Spencer on the other side of the door. He was tall for his age and had inherited his father's broad shoulders and physically commanding presence. "This is a surprise, Spencer."

"I want to talk to you." His tone brooked no arguments.

She smiled at him, nervously folding her hands together. Chloe had taken her bouquet down with her, forcing Elizabeth to fidget without a way to hide it. "I would love to talk with you as well." She looked down the hall. "Is your mother already in her seat downstairs?"

"My mother," he ground out between clenched teeth, "spend the last hour crying… because of you."

"Me?" Elizabeth's voice was full of shock. "I haven't seen her at all today, so I'm not sure-"

"She thinks," he interrupted her, planning to keep her off balance, "that my father is going to keep me from inheriting his title."

Elizabeth was nearly speechless. Something was very very wrong. "Spencer, I don't understand. Nikolas's title is bound by law to-"

"My father is the head of this family," he argued back, "the law is whatever he makes it!"

Seeing the flush of anger in his face, she struggled to understand where the misunderstanding came from. "You should talk to your father about this, Spencer… or Stefan. They would both know so much more than I would."

"My father and my uncle seem to be wrapped around your finger!" Spencer moved toward her but Elizabeth sidestepped the angry young man. He quickly countered her move and blocked her again. "I want you to talk to my father. I want you to tell him how I should be the heir."

"I don't make the decisions for your father, Spencer. I don't want to. But what I do know is that you should speak with him so he can explain-"

"So he can explain why he's going to keep me from my rightful inheritance? How can you be so cruel!?" He reached out and wrapped his hand around her upper arm. "Why can't you do the decent thing?"

"Decent thing?" Elizabeth felt some of her composure slip away and in its place was the beginnings of fear. "I've always cared about you, Spencer. Your father and I have loved you since you were born."

"Love?" Spencer's fingers dug into her arm and she gasped in pain. "What do you know about love?"

She lifted her free hand and tried to work some of his fingers loose so she could get away from him. "Spencer, please. We can talk about this with your father after the ceremony. He'll be able to answer some of your questions-"

"Some?" His fingers clamped down harder. "Why can't he answer them all?"

Elizabeth struggled to find the right words. By court decree there were so many things she couldn't say until Spencer turned 18. "I wish I could say more, Spencer, but I can't."

"You're just like she said you were!" He pulled Elizabeth along with him toward the stairs. "I think we should go and talk to my father right now.. in front of all of his guests."

"Please, Spencer," Elizabeth begged him, digging her heels into the carpet to slow their progress, "this is not the time-"

"Then you tell me when the right time is, Elizabeth!" He spat out her name with such anger that Elizabeth shivered in fear. "You tell me when… after you and my father have a child together? When he has a child to put in my place?" He leaned in toward her and was nearly nose to nose with her when he shot his last thought at her. "For all i know, you're going to get pregnant as soon as you can and push me out of his family!"

Elizabeth couldn't help the instinctive reaction to his rage. She couldn't help the gut reaction that told her to protect and defend.

It was the emotion of love that lifted her free hand to cover the near invisible swell that announced the fact that she was pregnant with Nikolas' child.

And Spencer saw the movement.

And his rage boiled over.

"You… you…"

She grabbed at his lapel, begging him to understand. "Please, calm down-"

"You don't get to talk to me… not when you're carrying his bastard. A child that people can look down on.. like you have looked down your nose at me all these years!"

He could see the hurt in her eyes. "I never thought that about you, Spencer. Never! Your father and I love-"

"You love yourselves... " his tone was almost devoid of emotion, still there were tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. "You don't understand how you're going to bring down the Cassadine Legacy, Elizabeth. You don't see it, but I do… I see everything clearly now."

The music started in the great room of the house and Elizabeth whispered a plea on a sigh. "Please, Spencer, let me go… it's time for the ceremony… please!"

He smiled at her, a cold twist of his lips and she saw Katherine's own face looking down at her. "You're right, Elizabeth." She heard the words, but instead of hope, they gave her a deep painful twist of dread in her middle. "It's time to let you go."

With a shove, he let go of her arm, forcing her backwards over the edge of the top step. Her voice was lost in a fear filled gasp of shock and sadness. She fell through the air toward the flight of stairs behind her.

He expected her to draw her arms up toward her face, to shield her delicate features from the battering strength of the hard wood beneath the carpeted runners. He expected her to shield her head from the sharp planes beneath her, but Elizabeth didn't do what he expected.

Instead, she curled into a ball and wrapped her arms around her middle, shielding the child he was now sure that was growing inside her. He heard the sinister groan of the stairs and finally a hollow crack as she came to rest on the landing, her head pressed up against the wall as she lay in a frothy cloud of white.

He heard the scream of a masculine voice and the thunder of footsteps running up toward them, but he couldn't seem to look away from Elizabeth's still form.

He couldn't help but feel more than a bit proud of the results of their conversation. He was, after all, only protecting the family. Something the heir was expected to do.


	5. Chapter 5

PART V

Stefan was the first up the stairs, his deep resonant voice bellowing out something that Spencer couldn't hear past the roaring in his ears. His fist closed convulsively around the railing at the top of the stairs. He started down the stairs and watched as the doors to the great room flung open and bounced against the wall, knocking over the large standing vases, spilling expensive blossoms and water all over the marble floors.

His father stopped short and took in the situation, his handsome face contorting in pain. Nikolas was suddenly taking the stairs two or three at a time, coming to rest on his knees beside Elizabeth's still form. Stefan pushed Nikolas' hands away, earning himself a deep growl of anger from his nephew.

Stefan grabbed Nikolas' wrist. "You can't move her..." he turned toward the crowd and saw Chloe at the base of the stairs, the bouquets at her feet, "call 911."

Nodding she grabbed the phone from Alfred's outstretched hand and dialed the number.

Nikolas took one of her hands in his and placed the other hand gently over her abdomen. "Sweetheart, please... open your eyes."

"She'll hold on, Nikolas." Stefan's normally even toned voice rasped from his throat. "She has everything to live for."

Chloe was suddenly beside them, dropping the cordless phone to the runner at her feet. "What happened?"

Stefan looked up the stairs and nailed Spencer with a look. "Would you care to answer that?"

Spencer felt his heart stop in his chest as his father's eyes turned to look at him. There was no warmth in his eyes, not even anger that the boy could see. What stared up at him from his father's eyes was the obsidian glint of the dark night sky. His father looked at him as if he was a stranger. "We were talking..."

"Talking?" Stefan sputtered a curse under his breath. "How did it go from talking to this?"

One of the under-butlers dashed into view. "The helicopter is landing outside!"

Stefan rose to his feet and dashed down the stairs. "I'll come with you."

Chloe, on her knees beside her friend, gently smoothed her hands over Elizabeth's face. "Please, Elizabeth, hold on for us."

Nikolas clutched her hand in his and raised it to his mouth, pressing a kiss on the pale skin and whispering a fervent prayer.

* * *

><p>Spencer's ire fell away as the EMTs rushed into the foyer and thundered up the to the landing, two dragging up a backboard and other equipment. Chloe pulled Nikolas back, begging him as she held his arm tight, "Let them work on her, Nikolas. Please."<p>

"Elizabeth?" Nikolas could barely hear Chloe over the thundering of his heart echoing in his chest. He watched the EMTs swarm around Elizabeth until he could barely see her except for the froth of her wedding gown and the soles of her feet encased in silk stockings.

"Elizabeth, I'm here! Please," he begged the EMTs, "get her to the hospital as fast as you can." He felt Chloe lean her cheek against his shoulder. "Tell them... tell them Elizabeth is coming in.. they'll take care of her.. they'll-" he lost the ability to speak as the techs transferred her to the back board, her arm sliding over the side and hanging limp from her shoulder.

Nikolas struggled to hold onto hope as he heard the worried tones of the EMTs as they strapped her to the board to transport her to the waiting helicopter transport.

* * *

><p>Katherine peered around the corner of the building, hidden behind some juniper bushes. She watched as the EMTs in their orange safety vests moved out of the door carrying a petite form in white between them.<p>

Covering her mouth to stifle her gasp of shock, Katherine watched with eager eyes as Nikolas followed behind them, his shoulders hunched with fear and concern. Stefan's wife, Chloe, walked beside him, her arm through his as they hurried toward the helicopter pad. The 'Lifeflight' didn't have room for anyone but the patient and their own techs. Once they were safely away, a private helicopter would land to take Nikolas and Chloe to General Hospital a few minutes behind Elizabeth.

As the helicopter lifted off from the grass, she ducked back around the building to mix in with the concerned guests. They were huddled together in groups and texting to others not in attendance. It would be minutes before the press was alerted to the accident. She was moving toward the fireplace to mingle with the judge when an errant comment stopped her cold.

"Did you hear it was his son that did it?"

A shocked hiss of denial was followed with, "Someone said he pushed her down the stairs!"

"No," replied the first voice, "that's horrible!"

"I know, can you imagine... Elizabeth is so sweet!"

Katherine wanted to scream. Elizabeth deserved what happened to her, but her son? There was no way that he was going to suffer for this. No. Spencer Cassadine was going to be protected. He was the only one that was important here. Reaching into her satin formal purse, she withdrew her cell phone and dialed the one number she had never called before... the one person she knew would stand by Spencer in this horrible time of need.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up. With a relieved sigh Katherine didn't even bother with pleasantries. "You need to come to Port Charles right now, Spencer needs you."

* * *

><p>Patrick and Epiphany met them at the ER doors. They had wanted to be at the wedding, but with Monica Quartermaine as Chief of Staff, she had made it perfectly clear that her staff still had their jobs to do. It also hadn't helped that Elizabeth had been linked with AJ before Nikolas had finally decided to stop letting other people get in the way of what he wanted.<p>

As Patrick examined Elizabeth, a crowd of her coworkers hovering nearby, making pleas to help in any way they could, Epiphany was silently happy that she was on duty. If there was anything that could be done to help her friend, she would find a way to do it.

That moment came when Nikolas staggered into the ER with Chloe at his side, struggling to keep him on his feet. Epiphany and Chloe drew him over to the bank of chairs and pushed him down into one, She made sure he could see into the curtained area and the flurry of activity that surrounded her. "What happened?"

Nikolas opened his mouth, but there was no sound coming from his lips.

Chloe took his larger hand in hers and turned to Epiphany. "She felt down the stairs before the ceremony." She shook her head as shivers worked through her body.

A shuddering gasp burst from Nikolas' lips. "It was horrible, Epiphany, she was on the landing, so still... so very still."

Epiphany leaned forward and hugged him, struggling to put a hopeful smile on her face. "She'll come through this Nikolas. She'll survive and-"

His hand clamped down on her forearm. "You have to tell Patrick," he struggled to breath past the lump in his throat, "you have to tell him that she's-"

"Pregnant?" Epiphany gave his hand a pat. "I've already told him." She saw the Prince's confusion written plainly on his features. "I'm good at what I do." She looked at the assemble group of doctors and nurses. "They are good too, but I know things... and that girl has been glowing for weeks. Don't you worry, Nikolas they'll pull through... I'll get you an update when I can."

* * *

><p>Katherine was ready to climb the walls.<p>

Once Nikolas and Chloe had left the island, Stefan had personally seen to all the guests, organizing the launch to shuttle them to the mainland with a minimum of fuss.

All the while, Alfred and one of the under butlers had been responsible for keeping Katherine and Spencer under lock and key in their rooms.

For the first two hours Katherine raged and screamed. She took out her pain on anything breakable that she could heft in her hands. She overturned furniture and ripped flower arrangements apart, showering the carpet with petals before she ground the mess in with the spiked heels of her shoes.

* * *

><p>Spencer seethed. His mind running over and over the events of the day.<p>

His mother in tears.

Elizabeth on the stairs, her hands protecting her child... from him!

Didn't she understand?

Didn't she see that the one who needed protecting was the family? The title!

Did she think that after all these years of looking down at him... thinking of him as Nikolas' bastard... that she could go ahead and do the same thing?

That she could have a baby to take his birthright?

The more he thought about it, the more he was clear about one thing, he was going to fight for his family. He was going to keep his legacy. He was going to make his father see reason.

* * *

><p>When Elizabeth went into surgery, Nikolas felt his heart stop in his chest. The words that Patrick had given him had rolled around inside of him but they had made no real sense.<p>

Swelling.

Pressure.

Coma.

All he could do was beg and plead. First with Patrick, then with God.

He'd offered Patrick anything... everything he could want. He offered up his title and his fortune if Patrick would save them.

The surgeon had managed to turn him over into Chloe's tender care before he'd gone to scrub in for the surgery.

Now, on his knees in the chapel, Nikolas prayed and offered up the same sacrifices to God if he would just give them a chance to live. To give Elizabeth and the baby a future.

He stayed on his knees so long that when Epiphany came to get them and bring them to Elizabeth's hospital room for an update from the surgical team, Nikolas had little feeling in his legs.

But that mattered little to him. For word of their condition, the handsome Prince would crawl if he had to.

* * *

><p>Stefan murmured comforting words to his wife on the phone, cautioning her to take care of herself as well as Nikolas as they waited for Elizabeth to wake up from her surgery.<p>

He would have spoken with her longer, but a helicopter was landing on the grounds and he had to greet their newest arrival.

The night air was chilly enough, but the long blades of the helicopter whipped the air into bone-numbing cold that threatened to freeze him in place. He waited for their guest to step off the helicopter and leaving the bags to the other members of their staff, Stefan showed her into the house.


	6. Chapter 6

**sorry about the delay, I had a last minute weekend away.. with very little internet access**

* * *

><p>Stefan folded his arms across his chest and watched as the helicopter powered down for the night, its one passenger stalking across the grass in her designer shoes. The heels must have been sinking into the lush grass, but you couldn't tell from the way she moved with sure steps.<p>

When she finally standing before him, a severe set to her features, Stefan nodded and greeted her with civility. She would expect no more and give no more herself.

"Hello, Mother."

* * *

><p>Chloe stood beside Elizabeth's hospital bed, gently smoothing her hand down Elizabeth's arm as she talked to her. "Well, now that Nikolas has finally fallen asleep," she sighed, "we can talk."<p>

Elizabeth's respirator hissed in the answering silence of the room and Chloe struggled to keep an upbeat tone to her voice.

"He looks so handsome even when he's rumpled," she slid a glance to the side where Nikolas was asleep, his head pillowed against the wall, "you're such a lucky girl."

She watched Elizabeth's chest rise and fall in rhythmic beats as the machines kept her body functioning.

"And when you wake up, Stefan and I are going to take you two on vacation anywhere in the world... your choice."

The florescent hallway lights slanted into the room, illuminating Elizabeth's pale skin until it almost blended into the white fabric of the sheets and her hospital gown.

"And while you're stuck in here, I'm having my seamstress make you some decent looking gowns. You can't be in there looking like this... my reputation would be ruined." She forced laughter in her tone, but tears were spilling down her cheeks.

"She would be laughing right now... with you... if she was awake."

Chloe turned and saw Nikolas slowly rising to his feet. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to wa-"

"You didn't wake me." He shook his head as he pushed a hand through his hair. "Not really, I was having a dream... and it turned into a nightmare." He took Elizabeth's hand in his and leaned over as he brushed a kiss to her knuckles. "I woke up to stop it, but I'm still trapped in that horrible string of moments where I'm forced to consider losing her."

Chloe grabbed his arm and used her other hand to turn his face toward her. "You can't do that, Nikolas." She shook her head before she focused her eyes on his. "You know she's fighting back to you. You have to be here... her anchor. You have to be the light in the darkness calling her back." She smoothed her hand down his arm to his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "And we'll give you the strength to keep going."

Nikolas turned Elizabeth's hand until her palm was pressed against his cheek. He tried to ignore the chill of her skin and concentrated on giving her some of his own warmth... his love.

* * *

><p>Stefan nodded at Alfred, who stood guard on the door to the main room. The man stepped aside, opening the door as the two elder Cassadines entered the room.<p>

Katherine was on her feet in a moment, her hands pressing over her heart and the tacky depth of her neckline. "Oh, thank goodness! You came, Helena!" She turned and gestured wildly at Spencer. "Get up and greet your great-grandmother!"

Spencer stood, his body rising from the chair as though he was unfolding his elegant tuxedo by the very action. He raised his eyes to meet Helena's and paused. He was expecting to see something in her eyes, some kind of emotion to tell him what she was thinking.

He could understand anger or pride, confusion or curiosity.

What she gave him was a wall of nothing.

"Great-grandmother, we're very happy to see you."

"We?" Her tone was arch. "I assume that you mean to include Katherine in that greeting."

Katherine surged forward and took her son by the arm, her grip almost painful. "Yes, yes, of course! That is why I called you... I was sure you would set things right."

The room was suddenly silent as Helena looked over Katherine and then Spencer as they stood in the ruin of what would have been a wedding ceremony. "And how do you suppose I do that?"

* * *

><p>Doctor Kelly Lee knocked softly before she entered the room. Nikolas tried desperately not to pounce on the woman. "Did you get the results of the test?"<p>

Kelly looked at Chloe and then back to Nikolas.

He waved off her concerns. "Chloe is family. Any information can be given to me, Chloe, or Stefan without any concern."

Nodding, she made a note of that in the chart. "Good." She clutched her clipboard to her chest, her arms folded over it as if it was some kind of armor to keep her thundering heart in her chest. "I'm concerned."

Nikolas managed to keep on his feet as he watched the doctor's expression carefully. "Tell me, please."

"I've been monitoring the baby's vitals. It's tiny, but given Elizabeth's strength and her health before the accident," she saw Nikolas flinch at the word and made a mental note not to refer to the incident if she could help it," the baby should make it through this..."

"But?" Nikolas' voice held a distinct edge. "What's wrong?"

"The baby's heartbeat is a mite too fast," she pulled her clipboard away from her chest and read through the notes on the chart, "and climbing."

* * *

><p>Katherine reached out a hand and almost touched Helena, but when the Cassadine Matriarch stiffened, she withdrew. "I think you can make Nikolas see that this was an accident." She indicated Spencer with a wave of her hand. "He was only protecting the Cassadine family's interests."<p>

Helena looked from the flustered woman to her stoic son and shook her head. "Katherine, I see that I have given you too much credit." She waited for the slight to register in Katherine's expression. "I was hoping that your IQ was higher than your gown's ridiculous neckline." Sighing with great effect, Helena skewered the woman with a glare. "But I can see that I was, in your case, mistaken."

Katherine sputtered in confusion as her hand settled over the deep display of her bosom. "This is about the Cassadine heir, Helena! I see things very clearly where my son is concerned."

Helena turned to look at Stefan who hadn't moved since the conversation had begun. "I fail to see how the two subjects are related."

Her words and the cutting tone that slid them free of her throat and when she saw Spencer open his mouth to speak, she was hoping that she had spurred Spencer to finally say something of consequence. "I have been meaning to talk to you that, Great-grandmother. Although I had hoped to speak to my father first."

Helena's shoulders slumped a hair. "If you want to say something, boy... then SAY IT." She looked at Stefan again before she addressed her great-grandson again. "Saying that you want to say something is boring and inconsequential."

Spencer didn't add anything more, looking to his mother for her help.

Helena directed her attention on Katherine, aware that her eyes flared with anger. "You have ruined him!"

* * *

><p>Nikolas listened as another OBGYN and a Neonatal Specialist outlined their opinions on both Elizabeth and their child's expectations and options. He listened and struggled to understand that even though they were determined to give him hope there was a very real chance that either one or both of the two dearest people in his life might be taken away from him before sunrise.<p>

* * *

><p>"Why would you say that, I-"<p>

"I think you should address me, Great-grandmother," Spencer straightened his backbone and lifted his chin to look Helena in the eye. "This is a family matter."

"This," Stefan interjected, "is something that most would say is a matter for police."

Spencer's jaw clenched tighter as he kept his gaze level on Helena's flawless complexion.

Helena saw the look and shrugged. "I had been waiting for you to explain yourself, boy."

"My name," he bit back, "is Spencer Cassadine."

Shaking her head, Helena couldn't seem to bring herself to say the name. "That is unfortunate.. and completely your mother's fault."

Katherine opened her mouth to argue, but Helena silenced her with an icy glare. "It would be best, Katherine, if you remained silent."

It wasn't possible. Not when Katherine had something burning to be said on her lips. But she kept her eyes from the Cassadine Matriarch, instead she stared at her son. "Tell her!"

"Elizabeth and I had a conversation before the ceremony," he saw Stefan's lips press into a tight white line and chose to keep his mother out of the story, "I figured out that she was pregnant and I wanted her to understand how that was going to complicate things."

Stefan moved forward with a speed that shocked Spencer, but even more shocking to him, was how fast Helena moved, placing her hand on Stefan's chest to keep him back. He was sure when he looked in his great-uncle's eyes he saw a dark murderous glare.

What made him swell with pride was that Helena had protected him from Stefan's anger.

Helena's head lowered in a slow and deliberate nod. "Continue."

"I know that the succession laws have been set for generations, but I know when we've discussed this you'll see that this whole thing is a farce." He turned to Stefan and jabbed a finger at him. "I know you've been pushing my father to marry her to give him an 'heir,' but what you always seem to forget is that my father has one... he has me!"

Helena had learned many things during her life and patience had never been a strength, but she had learned that when stalking prey, it was best to let them relax and find their own stride... to feel that they were safe... before ripping out their throats.


	7. Chapter 7

Part VII

Nikolas smoothed his hand over Elizabeth's belly, leaning closer to the bed. From his vantage point he could see the gently swell of their child a few inches away. He watched the digital readout of the fetal monitor and remembered what the specialists had told him. He had always been a quick study with numbers, used to going over the accounts for the Cassadine family had been his responsibility for years.

Now, as he watched the dangerously high numbers that taunted him on the readout, he struggled to remember what Chloe had said to him moments before.

He knew he should trust... that he should have faith... but he'd been in love with Elizabeth for so many years and had been without her for nearly the same amount of time. In his darkest moments, he'd often wondered if it was his lot in life to get this close... only to lose everything dear to him every single time.

* * *

><p>Spencer had decided to lay everything on the line. This, he believed, was the time for him to step up. Pointing an accusatory finger at his great-uncle he gave him a piece of his mind. "I know you've been pushing my father to marry her to give him an 'heir,' but what you always seem to forget is that my father has one... he has me!"<p>

He took the answering silence as some kind of agreement. Spencer's chest puffed out a bit as he met his great-grandmother's pointed gaze. "Well," she began, "it seems you have figured this all out on your own." She turned to Katherine with a smile. "Why did you need to bring me here for this?"

Katherine gave Stefan a smug look. "You are the true head of this family, Helena. What you say is law. You know that Spencer should succeed his father to the title. I've raised him to be a true Cassadine prince."

Helena had a curious look on her face. "Have you now?" She walked a circle around Spencer, looking the young man up and down. "Is this what nearly a decade and a half of your 'parenting' has wrought for us?"

Lost in her own internal debate, Katherine rambled on. "He's fluent in five languages including Russian and Greek. He is a fine horseman and has an appreciation for fine art and music. The family history is a subject he can recite from memory. Just ask him... give him the name of anyone in the family tree and he can tell you who they were born to and if they had children of their own."

Both of Helena's eyebrows raised in elegant arches. "My," she touched a hand to her heart, "you have spent quite a bit of time on this, haven't you?"

Katherine rushed forward and touched her son on his shoulder in a show of solidarity. "I have raised him to be a true Cassadine heir... all that remains is for you to make it official."

"And his 'discussion' with Elizabeth," Helena questioned, "am I to overlook the damage he has done?"

"What difference does it make," Katherine demanded as she turned her gaze on Stefan, "you've pointed out time and time again that Spencer was conceived out of wedlock. Why worry about Elizabeth's pregnancy? She is just falling into the same pattern that we've gone through. Why should she have consideration when there is already an heir?"

"And if it wasn't for Elizabeth... my mother and father would have been married!" His anger bled through his voice, the crackle of rage that ripped from his throat. "She deserves to pay for what she did!"

The accusation hung in the air, ringing against the walls. And Spencer had the intelligence to see the change in Stefan's demeanor even through the fog of his rage.

Stefan lifted his hand and smoothed his hand over his beard, his hand subtly shaking as if he couldn't trust himself. He dragged his gaze back to Spencer's face, ignoring Katherine's wary expression. "Is that what you've thought all these years?"

"It's the truth!" The pain in his heart cracked the tone of his voice. "It's her fault that my mother had to stay so far away."

Stefan pressed his hand to his forehead, fighting his own internal battle. "Sit," he commanded, and the angry little boy inside of Spencer understood the order... And obeyed. Stefan nailed Katherine with a look. "I'm about to set him straight, Katherine... and the court order be damned." He pointed at Spencer. "By the sound of the words coming out of his mouth you've broken the order yourself."

Katherine didn't even have the grace to look embarrassed. "He deserves to know the-"

"The truth, Katherine?" Stefan's face wore an expression of utter disbelief. "I find it hard to believe that you're trying to say that you've been telling him the truth!"

"I told him what he needed to know-"

Stefan turned his back on Katherine and addressed Spencer directly. "I don't have the time to find out what your mother told you all these years... in fact I don't have the stomach to hear it. Suffice to say that I'm about to give you a little history lesson."

Spencer folded his arms over his chest and sat back against the ornately carved armchair. "I won't listen to your lies."

A muscle ticked in Stefan's jaw, a familiar sign that Spencer recognized from his own father's repertoire of expressions. It didn't bode well for him.

"I have done many things in defense of our family," he stared Spencer straight in his eyes, "but I do not lie to you."

Spencer nodded slowly. He felt the weight of Stefan's statement on his shoulders as a weighted physical touch.

"When your mother lived in Port Charles, she was involved with me at first." He could tell that Spencer was shocked by the revelation. "When she met your father, she found him to be more... Interesting. I was, in her words, the lesser man because I was not the heir to the title."

Spencer opened his mouth to argue, but his mother's own words echoed in his memories. He'd shown interest in a young woman at the Academy and his mother had forbidden him to see her because she had no title or similar circumstance. She was, in Katherine's words, been 'unsuitable for his attentions.'

"Your father had been going through a difficult time, he believed that his half brother Lucky had been killed in a fire. Add to that the revelation that he might not have been fathered by Stavros."

He truly had Spencer's attention now. "Then who-"

"It was possible that I had been Nikolas' father. Katherine thought your father was the man for her."

"See?" Spencer shot up from his chair. "Then she didn't want him just for the title, right? She was with him.. when she thought you might be his father."

Stefan glared at Katherine's smug expression.

"There are a number of reasons she wanted him, Spencer. Your father is a handsome man, passionate in everything he does, and even if he was 'only' my son... your mother surmised that he would still be in the line of succession and I had no other children."

Helena turned to look at the other woman in the room. "You are truly a calculating little social climber, Katherine. Don't think that because you predicted one outcome like some charlatan in a turban that you can even begin to understand the inner workings of the Cassadine family."

"And it was during this time," he made sure that Spencer was looking directly at him, "that Katherine realized, before Nikolas even understood the depth of his feelings, that your father was deeply in love with Elizabeth."

"But she was in love with Lucky!"

"Yes, she was... but your father spent quite a bit of time with her before and after his brother's supposed death. When Lucky was gone they turned to each other to grieve, but your father's emotions were growing deeper with each passing day and while your mother was sharing his bed she was also plotting to drive a wedge between Nikolas and Elizabeth."

Katherine gasped in outrage. "That's not-"

"Don't you dare!" Stefan's normally reserved demeanor was fuming with anger. "Don't you try to deny it. You arranged for Elizabeth to go to the Deception offices and find you and Nikolas 'by chance.' Too many people know the truth for you to try and lie your way out of this one."

"Mother?" Spencer looked at his mother hoping she would deny it. Hoping she would tell him that Stefan was wrong... that there had been a misunderstanding. But all she did was lift her chin a fraction of an inch before she looked away from him. "No..." He somehow found a way to meet Stefan's eyes.

Seeing the change in Spencer's posture, the softening of the boy's abject rage into something akin to disillusionment, Stefan continued. "Elizabeth was hurt, not by Nikolas' actions, but by Katherine's determination to target her. And when your mother realized that she was pregnant, she used it to push Nikolas and Elizabeth further apart. But it was during that time that they realized how much they meant to each other."

"And," Helena interjected, "it was the first time that Katherine used you to secure her place in Nikolas' life." She spared Katherine a glance. "You told Nikolas he could either have Elizabeth in his life... or his child."

Spencer felt his heart stop in his chest. "Mother?"

Katherine studied her hands where they were folded in her lap.

"It was the first time," Helena admitted, "that I actually admired Elizabeth. She didn't ask Nikolas to choose. She didn't let him suffer through the agony of the choice. She walked away... for you."

"Over the years," Stefan continued, "through custody battles and blackmail, Elizabeth and your father have always put you first. They have tried to move on with other people." Stefan fixed his gaze on Katherine, daring her to meet him eye to eye. But she wouldn't. "And it may be worth noting that when your father was with 'other' women, the same threats were not repeated."

Spencer's mind was suddenly full with images. Emily, Courtney, Robin... Brooklyn... Gia. His mother had never said much about them, she had nearly ignored their presence. "What was so different about Elizabeth?" He looked from his mother, to Stefan, and finally Helena. "Why would my mother do that to her?"

Helena was the one to answer him. "You've seen them together, Spencer. I hope you're not as blind as your mother is vindictive."

It was true. He knew why his mother was so set on keeping them apart. When Elizabeth and Nikolas were together, his father was... happy. He smiled more, relaxed, and even laughed until he cried because of her.

"And what about the baby?"

Katherine's cold tone ran chills along Spencer's skin.

Stefan's own voice nearly crystallized with his cold fury. "Be very careful with your next words, Katherine."

Folding her arms over her chest with smug satisfaction, Katherine met the gaze of her former lover and flung one last barb. "Elizabeth's baby is still a little bastard. What difference does it matter if it survives if the family is going to turn its back on it like they've done to my son?"

Needing a moment to steel himself, Stefan drew in a long breath.

But it was Helena that spoke first. "The sheer amount of things that you don't understand about this family would crush you... and I welcome the opportunity to try. You don't deserve to know the truth, but for Nikolas' sake I will explain. And for you, Katherine, I will attempt to do it with small simple words."

Helena looked at Spencer. "Your father is already married."

Katherine's head snapped up to stare at the Cassadine matriarch. "What?"

Stefan's cell phone blared and he snatched it from his pocket, holding it up to his ear. "Chloe?" They could only hear the barest of noises as Stefan's wife answered him, her tone urgent. "I'll be right there." Closing the phone he met Helena's gaze. "I'm taking the helicopter."

She nodded. "Go, I'll finish up here."

* * *

><p>Chloe and Nikolas paced along behind the nurses as they rolled Elizabeth's bed down the hall and toward the open Operating Room. As they walked they listened to the rumble of medical jargon as several doctors worked through the laundry list of things they would have to cover in surgery. There seemed to be some kind of argument over what to do first. Dr. Patrick Drake and Dr. Kelly Lee stopped just outside the door and met Nikolas at the door.<p>

With Chloe's hand wrapped around his arm, he struggled to focus on what they were saying as he watched the nursing staff push the bed into the room beyond them.

He tried to focus on their words, tried to understand what they were saying... they kept the medical terminology to a minimum, but he didn't have to hear the words to understand how dire it was... he could see it on their faces.

Still, he held onto some shred of hope until he felt Kelly's hand on his shoulder and he met her concerned eyes. "It may come down to a choice, Nikolas. If it does, you're going to have to let us know... if you want us to save Elizabeth or the baby."

He didn't notice when Patrick and Kelly walked away, but it was the dull thud of the operating room door closing that brought him to his knees.


	8. Chapter 8

PART VIII

Spencer could see the helicopter from his seat in the main room of the house. He watched as Stefan ran out into the field, spurring the crew to start up the rotors with a quick gesture of his hand. He could read the tension in the man's body from this distance, or maybe he just felt the unfamiliar sensation of worrying for someone else. It wasn't something he'd learned from his mother.

Turning around, he looked at his mother and when she wouldn't meet his eyes he turned to his great grandmother. "It sounded bad."

There was no snide comment about his hearing, nor was there the familiar arched brow that was her trademark. All he could tell about her mindset was in her voice. There was worry in her tone. "It is, what it is, boy. I hope you are proud of your accomplishments. You will have to face your father when he returns."

Spencer nodded, but he could barely feel the motion. "You said…" He looked away and then thought better of it. He had to do better for himself… for the family. "You said that my father was married."

Helena recovered some of her personality with a thought. She looked at Katherine when she answered. "Yes, I did, didn't I?"

Katherine lifted her chin and looked at Helena. "You're just lying to him… softening the blow when you won't help him take his rightful place in the family."

"I don't care enough about you to lie, Katherine." She looked at Spencer. "And you are Cassadine enough to hear the truth and understand it." Helena lifted a hand to touch the delicate string of pearls around her neck. "A few months ago, under the guise of a romantic vacation, your father brought Elizabeth to Greece. While they were there, they married in a private ceremony in a quaint seaside church. Stefan and Chloe stood up beside them and I," she smiled with a satisfied twist to the corners of her mouth, "I was present to see your father marry the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with."

Katherine's intelligent snort caught Helena's attention, turning the elegant woman's smile to a thin line of anger.

"I'm sorry you don't understand the ramifications of the truth, Katherine." Helena sighed. "This means that the child your 'son' has done his best to eliminate is a legitimate heir to Nikolas' title. And," she turned her icy stare to Spencer's flushed face, "why I have such a strong urge to rid the family of the both of you. I, for one, have waited for them to furnish me with a great-grandchild who is deserving of the name Cassadine." She nodded, as if reconciling herself to a thought. "You cannot blame yourself entirely for your horrible actions, boy. Your mother has filled your head with nonsense from the day you were born. I just wish I had thought to care enough to involve myself in the battle over your custody."

* * *

><p>Stefan's decent from the helipad at the top of GH to the Operating Room was one filled with fear. When the elevator doors slid open he burst from the small square box and searched the floor for his wife and nephew.<p>

Chloe was huddled with Nikolas in a couch just to the right of the elevator. She lifted her head, feeling his presence, and offered him a wan smile. He was at their side a moment later, sitting down on the cold metal box that served as both a 'table' and a 'footrest.' "What news?"

Nikolas' hand was clenched around Chloe's, his knuckles white. "Emergency surgery to fix some internal… bleeding."

Stroking his arm with her free hand, Chloe met Stefan's eyes over Nikolas' head. Her lovely eyes were red-rimmed and swollen with tears. "They have two of the best surgeons in there. A whole crew watching out for the baby." She leaned her cheek on Nikolas' shoulder. "We're just waiting for the good news that they're both going to be fine."

Stefan had no words for the moment. His mind was still processing the information that he'd just received. Reaching out a hand, he felt Nikolas grab onto him with his free hand. He felt the uncontrollable shudder of his nephew's hand and fought back the tears that gathered in his eyes. "I'm here," he explained, "I'm here until they're out of the woods."

* * *

><p>Helena moved toward the window, turning once she was situated firmly in front of the fixture. "I agree with Stefan. Given the ridiculous drivel that was falling from your lips earlier, you haven't been given a clear picture of things from your… 'mother.'"<p>

Katherine laughed then, her first real sound since she heard the news that Nikolas was indeed married to Elizabeth. "Go ahead," she dared, "lie to him. He won't believe what you have to say. He won't."

Looking at the young man, examining his features, she shrugged and the unexpected gesture held Spencer in its thrall. "I wouldn't put a bet on your words, Katherine. He seems to be listening." She nailed Spencer with a look. "If you've enough brain cells to rub together for a spark, you'll do just that."

"You," Katherine stammered, "you can't turn him against me… he's my son!"

"Really?" Helena's tone was almost bright with mirth. "I thought you had studied the family. If you had, you'd know that isn't true. I can do pretty much anything." She flashed a deadly smile at Katherine. "And who is going to stop me? Certainly not you."

* * *

><p>Epiphany Johnson stepped out of the OR and walked over to Nikolas. With the aid of Chloe and Stefan, he got to his feet and could barely wait for the news. "What's going on?"<p>

Pulling down her surgical mask, Epiphany couldn't quite smile at them. "The baby is doing fine so far. The team has been watching its vitals and they have reason to hope that there wasn't any damage done by the fall."

Nikolas looked at Stefan and explained. "Patrick Drake and Kelly Lee did the original exam." He drew in a shaking breath. "They said when she fell, she protected the baby with her hands… instead of her head." Chloe smoothed her hand over his back in soothing circles. "They said that's why she's suffering so much. She took care of the baby instead of herself."

Stefan struggled not to scream as he listened to Nikolas' tight voice. His nephew and Elizabeth had been so close to happiness… only to have it possibly ruined by Katherine's machinations. "She'll pull through," he turned to Epiphany, "that's why you're out here, yes?"

Epiphany couldn't quite bring herself to shake her head. "They're still working on Elizabeth. When they're done they'll come out and explain, but Patrick and Kelly wanted you to know about the baby. They said to hold onto that bit of news and hope for more."

* * *

><p>"The court," Helena explained, "agreed with your mother for some ridiculous reason. They thought that she would honor the agreement she held your father to." Helena fiddled with her wedding ring. "And the fact that your father didn't have more money to fight her in court is my fault. I was angry and I was vindictive. I should have looked at the larger pictures, but believe me, if I had been involved, the judge would never have kept your father from telling you exactly what kind of a bitch your mother is."<p>

Katherine was hurt by the words, angry as well, but she didn't openly challenge Helena. Even she had some kind of idea about self-preservation.

"Your mother," she informed the young man, "used you as a pawn to keep your father dangling for years! Where ever you went, she went. When she would misbehave and push your father beyond his limits, he would order her gone… and she had to take you with her. It became a game for her. To see how long they could stomach her words… her very presence." She turned to Katherine and narrowed her gaze. "She was particularly horrible to Elizabeth. Your mother knew how much Elizabeth cared for you and she was determined to make her rival suffer through any means she could use."

"Elizabeth?" The little boy inside of the young man struck out at the idea. "She didn't care for me at all!" He looked to his mother for confirmation, but where she had always repeated the words throughout his life, in this moment she was silent. He turned back to Helena. "She never even hugged me!"

"And why blame that on Elizabeth?" Helena's words were almost laughter. "She had no choice in the matter. The judge sided with your mother." She slid a side-look at the other woman. "She thought that having another woman in the role of mother would be detrimental to your emotional health." Helena scoffed at the idea. "So Elizabeth was under court order not to initiate any physical contact with you."

Spencer listened with rapt attention as his great-grandmother explained the laundry list of ridiculous restrictions that his mother had forced upon his father… and Elizabeth. All of the disappointing moments of his childhood… the abandonment he felt when his father would send his mother away and NOT ask to have Spencer stay behind… the times he'd had his father hug him only to have Elizabeth standing there, her arms wrapped around her petite frame… or her hands stuffed in her pockets… when he'd wanted a touch… a hug… a kiss from the beautiful woman only to be disappointed.

Then as his mind struggled to understand the reality behind the doors created by court order, he understood all the strain he'd seen in their faces… the sentences started and stopped with no explanation beyond a cold look from his mother.

He turned to face the woman he had loved without reserve his entire life. He turned to face her and all he could manage to say to her was, "I never want to see you ever again!"

* * *

><p>Nikolas surged to his feet when Patrick Drake walked out of the OR. He felt Chloe and Stefan on either side of him, sharing their strength. He watched as the tall doctor stopped a couple of feet away from him and took off his surgical mask.<p>

Trying to ignore the blood that was visible on his surgical gown, Nikolas focused on his face…looking for any indication of his news before the man could speak. Right before he lost his patience, Patrick spoke.

"Mr. Cassadine… Nikolas… I wanted to tell you what happened-"


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks for sticking with me on this... we're almost to the end... just a couple more sections to this... Hope you'll keep with me until the end :D

PART IX

"Mr. Cassadine… Nikolas… I wanted to tell you what happened…"

Nikolas felt Chloe squeeze his arm in a reassuring gesture that helped him prepare. "Yes… how… how are they?"

Patrick turned to Kelly Lee, giving her the chance to speak first. She didn't make them wait.

"The baby is healthy," she smiled at the relief on their faces. "We had some concerns during the surgery, but it seems like Elizabeth's body was just as protective of her child then as it was when she fell." She reached out and gave Nikolas' hand a gentle squeeze. "We have monitors hooked up to keep watch, but I don't expect any difficulties."

"Thank you," the prince barely managed to mumble the words, "I appreciate all you've done."

Stefan offers his thanks from the rest of the family before turning his own focus to Patrick. The Neurosurgeon meets Nikolas' eyes with difficulty. "Elizabeth is resting." He looked at Kelly for support before turning back to the gathered Cassadine family. "There is still quite a bit of swelling," he shares with them, "and while we have every reason to be optimistic… we have to be cautious."

Nikolas' knees buckled a bit and Stefan gripped his nephew's arm and held him upright. "Can we see her?"

Kelly shared a look with Patrick before addressing the question. "She's being transported to ICU. When we have her room set up, we will allow you to visi-"

"I'm not leaving." Nikolas stood, every inch the Cassadine Prince. "I will remain here until Elizabeth is released to return home… not a moment before."

Patrick looks at Kelly and she shakes her head smiling. The brilliant neurosurgeon nods. "I understand."

As the two doctors walk away to see to their patient, Nikolas turns into Chloe's embrace, the tears he'd been holding back finally falling in relief. Stefan helps Chloe guide Nikolas to a large couch nearby.

* * *

><p>Katherine is trying to reason with her son. "Spencer, you don't mean that-"<p>

"The hell I don't!" He moves further away from her, almost shoulder to shoulder with Helena. "I've been blind thanks to you!" He paces a few steps in one direction… and then the other… "All those years… you told me Elizabeth hated me! You told me she couldn't stand the sight of me!"

He grabs at his chest, his hand clutching the shirt over his heart. "I wanted her to love me, you know… I wanted her to show me affection… I wanted to be a part of her love with my father… a family! And you told me all those lies… how… how could you?"

"They weren't lies, Spencer!" Katherine was angry, her eyes flashing cold sparks. "They only tell you that to drive a wedge between us. And that's exactly what Helena has done." She turned to the older woman, struggling to pull herself to her full height. "I hope you're happy, you old bitch!"

Helena smiles at Katherine, a quiet near-calm composing her features. "You have only yourself to thank, Katherine… the wall was going to fall anyway… when he turned 18. The court's 'gag' order would lapse and he would have heard it all. This," she gestured to Spencer's flushed face, "just saved me some time and some trouble."

Katherine glared back at her. "Then maybe you should thank me…" she grinned up at Helena.

The Cassadine matriarch had some words planned for the pretender before her, but her phone rang and Helena looked down at the screen. "It's Stefan." She caught Spencer's gaze as she answered the phone, holding it up to her ear. "Yes?"

Spencer waits for news, his face awash with anxiety.

When Helena ends the call, he patiently waits for Helena to share the news.

She doesn't make him wait. "The baby is fine."

His skin turns ice-cold as he waits for the rest of the news.

"Elizabeth is… resting." She sees his confusion and elaborates for him. When she's done she watches him careful, wondering if there is still something to salvage in his heart. "Now, it's a matter of waiting. Even if she wakes up… we have no way of knowing the kind of damage that was done until she opens her eyes."

"It's… it's all my fault."

Helena doesn't argue with his words. She's still seething with anger deep down inside. "You let yourself be used by your mother against your own family… against the Cassadines. I can't see how you could make it up to your father… and to Elizabeth." Helena smiled, baring her teeth.

His stomach in knots, Spencer raised his eyes to meet her measuring gaze. "I was hoping you could do me… a favor."

Katherine opened her mouth to speak, but Helena beat her to it. "Ask… and we shall see."

Spencer felt the weight of his actions heavy on his shoulders. He thought back to his actions over the last few days… and the ways that Elizabeth had tried to welcome him even though he treated her so badly. His jaw trembled as his eyes filled up with remorseful tears.

"I wonder if you'll take me to the PCPD station."

"No!" Katherine was on her feet. "What are you talking about?"

Ignoring his mother, Spencer moved toward the door. "I need to pay for what I've done." He met Helena's eyes and noticed a slight nod that showed her approval. "I want to confess what I've done."

Helena moved to follow Spencer, but Katherine stopped her, grabbing onto Helena's arm with a vise-like grip. "No… you can't be serious! They'll throw him in jail!"

"The boy is finally showing a spine, Katherine… and he's owning up to his actions. You should take a lesson from your son, instead of trying to keep him from truly becoming a member of this family."

Shaking Katherine's hands off of her arm, Helena followed Spencer out the front door.


	10. Chapter 10

Part X

It was nearly dawn when Spencer Cassadine walked into the PCPD Station. His appearance in a rumpled tuxedo didn't raise many eyebrows, in Port Charles if there was a fancy party it was generally accepted that someone was going to end up in lock-up.

What got the men on their feet was the woman who walked in behind the young man.

Any officer in the PCPD knew Helena Cassadine on sight. And, they knew enough to be on their guard.

"Who," she inquired with a crisp and haughty tone, "is in charge that this hour?"

A man in a crisp suit stepped forward, his clean cut good looks made little impression on the matriarch. "I am. I'm the Police Commissioner."

She looked him over from head to toe and back again. "Hmmm… that will do." She turned to Spencer and waited.

The younger man looked up and licked his lips to ease the sting from the cold air off of the harbor. "I need to turn myself in." When no one made a move, he continued. "I tried to kill someone."

The Commissioner nodded, watching the younger man's expression carefully. Dealing with Helena Cassadine meant you had to be careful… very very careful. "We haven't had a report of-"

"I pushed Elizabeth Webber down a flight of stairs before her wedding to my father."

The words were quiet, but the station had gone silent and all of the men turned to look at the Commissioner waiting for his reaction.

"You pushed her... " the Commissioner leaned against the doorframe of his office, "and she's dead?"

Spencer shook his head. "She's at General Hospital, things…" he explained, "look pretty bad. Stefan got a call from his wife and he went down to-"

"Put him in lock up," the Commissioner grabbed his coat from the rack and darted for the side door, heading for the parking lot.

Looking up at his great-grandmother, Spencer waited for an officer to come forward to escort him to the temporary cells in the back of the station.

Helena looked down at him and read the confusion in his eyes. "The Commissioner," she explained, "is Ric Lansing. He always did… care for Elizabeth."

A police officer took Spencer away, holding on to the boy's arm, just above the elbow. Spencer followed without any issue.

* * *

><p>Nikolas was nearly asleep at Elizabeth's bedside when he heard the commotion outside. The demanding tone of voice and words filled with fear and desperation could only come from one person. Slowly, the prince stood, finding his legs still willing to work, and walked to the door of her private room in ICU.<p>

The movement caught Ric's attention from his vantage point at the desk. He saw Nikolas standing in the doorway, his face a hard mask of worry. "How is she?"

Ric shouldered past the nurses and two security guards to make his way to Elizabeth's door. "Tell me, Nikolas, or let someone else fill me in!"

"She's alive." The two words were difficult for Nikolas to say, he was almost afraid of tipping the balance against her chances. "She was in surgery most of the night and now they are waiting… for her to wake up."

Ric grabbed a fistful of Nikolas' shirt. "You mean 'if,'" he ground out the words between his teeth, "you mean if she wakes up."

"She will. She has to." Nikolas made no effort to pull free of Ric's grasp. Somewhere in his head he felt as though he deserved the rough treatment. "The baby is-"

Nik's head snapped back when Ric punched him, sending the two of them sprawling to the ground with Ric's hand still holding his shirt.

"So that's what this is about, isn't it?" Ric threw another punch and Nikolas didn't turn away, taking it square on his jaw. "You and your family's legacy!"

The security guards pulled Ric away, letting go when she held up his hands in surrender.

One of the nurses helped Nikolas to his feet, looking at his face to assess his injuries. He shrugged off their concern.

"This isn't about the Cassadine family," he answered Ric, lifting his eyes to meet the blazing fire of the Police Commissioner, "it's about me making a life with Elizabeth and a child. And how I let Katherine poison my son's mind. If Elizabeth dies-"

"She's not going to." Chloe put herself between the two men, and wrapped her arm around Nikolas' middle. "She'll wake up and she'll be waiting to see your handsome face smiling down at her.. so let's go back inside."

She nearly had to push him backwards into the room as Stefan stepped in front of Ric. "What are you doing here, Mr. Lansing?"

"Spencer Cassadine walked into the PCPD a few minutes ago and turned himself in."

Stefan let the words sink in for a moment before he trusted himself to speak. "He just walked into the Police Station?"

Ric glowered at Stefan, crossing his arms as he looked at the older man. "It wasn't just Spencer. Helena was the one who walked him in."

"My mother? She dragged him in?"

"No," Ric's anger was slowly dissipating, "I believe he did it voluntarily. I left him to my men to process him. Once I heard what he had done to Elizabeth-" Ric's voice lodged in his throat. "I had to see her for myself."

He looked at the closed hospital door.

"I think I pretty much ruined any chance of that by attacking Nikolas."

Stefan regarded the other man. "I think he'll let you see her, as long as you keep your voice down, and-"

"And not attack him… I can do that."

Nikolas did let Ric into the room. He watched as the other man, who had from time to time dated Elizabeth when she and Nikolas hadn't seen eye to eye, and saw the gentle look on his face. Ric smoothed his hand over her own at her side. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. Before he turned away he looked at the monitors on the other side of the bed.

"She will be an amazing mother." He turned to meet Nikolas' troubled gaze. "You're lucky to have her."

Nodding, Nikolas agreed. "You're right. Without her… I'd be lost."

Ric listened to his words and slowly lowered his chin in a nod. "Just remember that… and treat her like gold when she wakes up." He moved toward the door, stopping just before he stepped out into the hall. "Please let me know when she can receive guests… I would like to bring her some flowers."

Nikolas held out his hand. Shaking Ric's firmly before the other man left.

Once they were alone again, Stefan met Nikolas' curious gaze. "What did you say to him?"

Stefan looked at Chloe, who drew closer to listen in. "He explained why he came down to the hospital. Spencer turned himself into the PCPD this morning."

Nikolas was stunned. He struggled to understand what Stefan was saying to him. "Spencer? How did Katherine let him-"

"He said that Helena brought him to the station." Stefan looked at Nikolas, reaching out to touch his nephew's shoulder. "Remember what I told you … before I left Spoon Island-"

"Yes,... that Helena was explaining the truth to Spencer."

"This was the first time he heard some of those truths." Stefan sighed. "I'm pretty sure Katherine has been poisoning his mind for years. He was stunned and shocked when I left."

"And now," Chloe added in as she stepped into Stefan's comforting embrace, "he's begun to understand what he should have been told years ago."

Nikolas' expression was haunted. "I should have fought harder when he was baby. I should have found a way-"

"You didn't stand a chance." Chloe reached out and took Nikolas' hand. "You were concerned about his happiness… Katherine wanted to use him as a pawn. You couldn't have seen what she was planning to do."

Stefan agreed. "You're not like Katherine, Nikolas. In her mind, how she deals with things, Katherine is more of a Cassadine than any of us. But in her heart-"

"If she has one," interjected Chloe.

"Yes, well… if she had one, she would have seen the pain she was putting him through."

Nikolas looked back at Elizabeth and sighed. "I should go and see him."

"Yes," Stefan agreed, "you should. We can stay here and-"

"I want to be here for her," Nikolas moved toward the bed. "I need to be here and tell her-"

"Nikolas." Chloe moved a few steps forward but she didn't touch him. "Nikolas, look at me."

He complied. Turning back to look at her, Nikolas waited for Chloe to speak.

"If Elizabeth were awake right now… and you asked her what you should do… what would she say?"

Nikolas glowered at her. "That's not fair."

Stefan shrugged. "It's true. You know what she would say."

"She would tell me to go and talk to him. That he's my son and he needs me."

Chloe wrapped her arms around Nikolas and gave him a hug. "We'll be here… so you go and do what you need to."


	11. Chapter 11

PART XI

The hallway door closed, a metallic clink of sound that echoed along the hall. Spencer continued to stare at the floor, wondering if the roach he'd seen a few minutes ago would make another appearance. He had tried to get some sleep, but when he'd closed his eyes all it had done was make each noise louder than it had been before. Every breath he took seemed to seeth from the cold air around him.

The soft tread of feet along the hall only drew his attention when the sound and two dark shoes stopped before his cell.

Spencer waited for some kind of order. Had there been enough time for the sun to come up, the courts to open? He knew that was the next step, but he just wasn't sure exactly what to expect.

"Spencer."

He froze, all color and warmth draining from his face. With his heart thundering in his chest, Spencer looked up and met his father's eyes. "Are- are they okay?' He waited for an answer, but the silence got the better of him. "Please tell me Elizabeth and the baby are okay."

Nikolas' eyes shone with tears. "Is that how you really feel?" He leaned forward, grabbing onto one of the bars of the holding cell. "Do you want them to be alive?"

Spencer wanted to jump to his feet and yell. He wanted to scream that or course he did… but he could understand why his father was asking the question. After all, less than a day before, he'd let anger and fear get the better of him and Elizabeth had paid the price.

Standing slowly, he kept his eyes on his father, hoping that beyond his words, Nikolas would see the truth of his feelings. "Yes. I need them to be okay." He gasped, his heart stuttering in his chest. "I am so sorry for what I did.. for what I said… and," his lips quivered with the pent up frustration that had been building in his chest, "and for what I felt."

"I was surprised to hear that you had turned yourself into the police." Nikolas looked up and down the bars between them. "So many people in Port Charles seem to skirt responsibility for their crimes." He drew in a long shaking breath. "And make no mistake about it… this was a crime."

Spencer's shoulders curved up, his chin tucking down toward his chest. He knew that his father's words were true. There was no hiding from the shame he felt crawling all over his skin.

"I am so glad," Nikolas' breath rushed out of his lungs, "that you're behind these bars." With a vicious yank, Nikolas shook the cell door. "Because if you weren't… I don't know if I could stop myself from hurting you." Tears poured from his eyes. "I hate that I feel this way, Spencer, but just thinking about Elizabeth lying motionless- hooked up to machines- when right now I should be holding her in my arms, on our way to our honeymoon… so many years that I've wasted with her… because of…"

"I had no idea," Spencer begged his father to hear him with the need in his voice, "that you and Elizabeth had suffered to much because of my mother. I didn't know that… I had wanted Elizabeth to love me and I thought… I believed… that she didn't."

Nikolas nodded, a bare shake of motion. "Stefan told me some of what was said before he came to the hospital. And while I was on my way here, I spoke with Helena. She told me the rest."

"What she said to me," Spencer began, "hurt the most, but it also fully opened my eyes. I was expected her to be happy for what I'd done-" Spencer splayed is hand over his belly as if he'd been struck, "I had always been told what a monster she was… but in that moment… I was worse."

Silence reverberated through the space and Nikolas leaned heavily on the bars.

Spencer was very cognizant of the fact that his father hadn't tried to change his mind. Hadn't tried to soothe his anguish. His own heart was breaking, but he realized, for the first time in his life, that he'd misjudged his father for so many reasons… and that he had hurt his father so many times with his petulant anger and callous treatment.

"I've been praying for them." Spencer's voice was barely more than a whisper. "I want them to live and hopefully, if she will accept my apology, Elizabeth may someday let me into your lives again."

Nikolas looked up, meeting his son's red-rimmed eyes with his own. "You have a lot to learn about Elizabeth if you're even questioning that." Reaching through the bars, he held out his arms to his son and Spencer stepped into his father's embrace. "I need to get back to the hospital… I want to be there when Elizabeth wakes up."

Spencer stepped back, lowering his arms to his sides. "Please, please tell her how sorry I am... "

"You can tell her that yourself…" Nikolas turned and left the room, sparing a look for his son that gave Spener hope.

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><p>Katherine had rushed upstairs as soon as Helena had left with Spencer. She's struggled to throw her things into her bags, determined to leave before Helena returned. Dragging her suitcases down the stairs she had only a moments thought to the fact that less than a day before Elizabeth had tumbled down the stairs at the hands of her own son.<p>

She'd made a miscalculation. She had hoped to trigger his anger, but had only hoped to scare Elizabeth away from the wedding. So many times in the last 16 years she had been able to drive a wedge between Nikolas and Elizabeth by playing Spencer's emotional needs against their love.

Katherine had become a true expert at manipulation, but when she'd received the wedding invitation calling them to Port Charles, she realized that her manipulations weren't going to work any longer. She had pushed again… pressing Spencer's buttons further than she had before… and she'd pushed him over the edge.

Shaking off her fears for her son she realized that she had to protect herself. Once Helena turned her attention away from Spencer, she knew it was going to go straight to her own back, like a knife.

Standing up her suitcase, Katherine reached for the door and turned the knob. It didn't open.

Again, she yanked and twisted.

Nothing.

She wrapped both hands around the doorknob and shook it hard enough to make an echo of sound bounce of the foyer's walls. "Open, damn it!"

"I'm so sorry," she turned to see that Alfred's mouth was twisted in a dark smirk that complimented the anger in his eyes, "but we have been instructed to keep you her until Mrs. Cassadine returns." Folding his arms over his chest, Alfred stared at the richly dressed woman. "I have never liked you… and now that you have hurt the most dear and wonderful woman in the whole world… and if they let me, I would throw you off the turret myself."

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><p>Nikolas was barely aware of the numbing sounds of the monitors beeping in the background, the cold spice scent of the chai tea that Chloe had left behind when she and Stefan had left the room.<p>

His cheek, pillowed on the warmth of the heated blankets that the staff had provided for Elizabeth's comfort, he was hovering near exhausted sleep.

Slowly, he drew in a breath and let it out with a shudder. "I'll be here, as long as it takes. I'm going to be here, Elizabeth… waiting for you."

He felt a whisper soft touch on the back of his head. Fingertips brushing through his hair, skimming over the warmth of his forehead. "I'm here."


	12. Chapter 12

PART XII

Ric Lansing walked into the holding area of the PCPD and stared down at the young man sitting on the cot at the back of the cell. He waited until Spencer looked up at him before he spoke. "I hope you're happy."

Spencer took the verbal barb, leaning back against the wall until his head connected with the concrete. "I'll be happy when I hear that Elizabeth and the baby are okay."

"The baby," Ric sighed and grabbed the bars before him, flexing his fingers open and closed, "yes, the baby."

"You loved her didn't you?" Spencer watched the Police Commissioner carefully. "You dated her for awhile."

Ric's forehead pressed heavily against the bars. "I wanted to marry her. I wanted to make a family with her and all she wanted," he looked up through the bars at Spencer, "was another chance with your father."

It was hard to ignore the naked pain in the man's eyes. Spencer didn't know what to say.

"But that doesn't matter anymore," Ric pushed away from the bars and shook his head. "I'm telling you right now, Spencer… so help me God… if she loses that baby… I will make your life hell."

Spencer met the man's eyes and nodded in acceptance. "It already is."

Ric didn't know what it was exactly that caught his attention. Maybe it was the rasp of his voice through his throat, or perhaps it was the unshed tears turning his eyes red with pain, but he heard the boy's pain and sorrow. It didn't take away his anger, but it softened the bite.

Reaching into his pocket, he took out a keyring. Searching through the mass of keys, he picks one marked with a red label, and unlocks the cell.

Spencer leaned back and watched the Police Commissioner, unsure of what he was about to do next.

Ric swung the door open and stepped back. "You can go."

"Go?" Spencer shook his head. "But I turned myself in! Aren't you supposed to take my picture and fingerprints? Something?"

"Elizabeth called me from the hospital. She's not going to allow me to press charges."

"She's awake!"

Ric nodded. "You should probably go and see her.. and beg for her forgiveness."

Spencer stepped into the doorway of the cell. "I'll do more than that." Spencer headed down the hall, chased by Ric's voice. "Stefan is waiting to drive you."

* * *

><p>Stefan pushed open the door to Elizabeth's room and smiled. "You look beautiful."<p>

Leaning against Nikolas' shoulder, Elizabeth managed a smile that lit up the room. "I'm happy…. It does more than makeup."

Nikolas leaned down and brushed a kiss against her temple. "You don't need make up and you know it."

"I'm happy to let you say that as much as you want, but I do love a little lipstick every now and then."

Grimacing a bit, Nikolas leaned back against the wall. "I don't."

Stefan shook his head at the couple, loathe to change the atmosphere in the room. "I brought someone by to see you."

He stepped to the side and let Spencer take a step into the room.

The younger man stopped short when he saw the bandages that covered most of her head, stark white against her pale porcelain skin. Tears coursed down his cheeks when she smiled at him. "I- I'm so so-sorry." He clutched at his chest, rumpling his shirt into a grubby mess. "I'm so sorry I… that I-"

"Spencer!" Elizabeth's voice was full of concern, "why are you still wearing that suit?" She turned slightly, making Nikolas lean forward so she could see his face. She gave her husband a questioning glance before she turned to Stefan. "Why didn't you take him home to shower and-" She turned back to Spencer. "When was the last time you ate something?"

He felt about three inches tall. The woman he'd nearly killed less than 48 hours before, was worrying over him like… a mother.

His sob quieted the room. Bending his knees, Spencer hunched over, wrapping his arms around himself as he realized the truth of what he had almost lost. "How?" Looking up at Elizabeth's concerned expression, he felt his words lodge in his throat behind the knot that had formed there. "How can you care after all the things I did… all the things I said?"

Nikolas stood, sliding down from the edge of her hospital bed, his hand still holding hers. "Even after all of these years… you still have to ask?"

Letting go of Nikolas' hand, Elizabeth beckoned Spencer forward. When he was close enough, she took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "You couldn't trust me, I understood that." She looked up at Nikolas before she turned back to look at his son. "You have always been so important to your father, but I suspect it was different from what your mother felt for you. I was hoping that it could wait until you were eighteen, so we could finally understand each other." She covered their hands with her other hand and gently stroked her fingers over the back of his hands trying to soothe his anxieties. "I'm hoping that you'll let me in, Spencer… that you'll let me love you as I have always loved you… like my own.

Spencer nearly dropped to his knees, caught in time by Nikolas and guided into a chair by Stefan. The chair was tucked up against the bed as Spencer leaned his cheek against Elizabeth's hand and sobbed out all the frustrations and loneliness he'd felt all these years. He couldn't help but feel the anger for all that his mother had done to him… and how much love she had kept from him. He felt that anger boiling up inside him, but the gentle touch of Elizabeth's hand feathering over his hair made it bleed away.

* * *

><p>Katherine realized that she'd made a grievous error a few minutes into her swim. She'd easily over powered the old butler. As much as Alfred hated her, he was still a gentleman. He'd paid for the oversight when she took a vase and cracked it over his head.<p>

She hadn't bothered to check if he was still breathing when she left, she didn't have a moment to waste. The launch was gone. That much was obvious from a quick look at the pier. She had no other way off of Spoon Island but the water.

Her clothes had always been picked for their fashion. The softest fabrics against her skin, the finest fashion generally meant well made, but thin, fabrics. In the frigid waters of Port Charles' harbor, she was quickly paying the price.

All she could concentrate on was saving her life… getting to shore… and then running as far and as fast as she could.

The water lapping at her ears drowned out the sound until he was almost upon her. The laugh that assaulted her was unmistakable, but Katherine prayed that it was only a hallucination.

"I knew you were stupid, Katherine," Helena chuckled, "but suicidal? That's new."

The sleek zodiac craft was dark and inky in the waters beneath the night sky. The man at the helm gave her a predatory grin.

"Oh, no…" Katherine tried to move away from them, fighting the currents and the numbing cold of the waters, "I'm not getting in that thing with you."

"On that," the older woman hissed, "we agree." She leaned back and gestured to the man.

He leaned across the craft and hefted a long dark object in his hand. A moment before it fell against the top of her head she realized it was a thick metal pipe. But that moment of realization was the last one she would ever have.

An unconscious Katherine Bell sank into the harbor as Helena's craft sped off toward Spoon Island.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for reading this story... to those who commented.. you were AMAZING... I'm happy to have you along for the ride!**

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><p>Epilogue -<p>

_Spring 2017_

The gardens of Wyndemere were alive with laughter. The servants were given the rest of the day off after having prepared the special mid-morning tea and birthday cake, they had stopped by to offer their congratulations to the little princess on her birthday. Sofiya happily received their wishes with a bright grin and a melodic laugh. When they offered their hands to shake hers she, as her mother was wont to do, hugged each of the staff and offered her own special thanks of a kiss on each cheek.

When they had departed, Helena joined the gathering, having finished wrapping her present in her own room. She gave the box to the little girl and expected the child to rip the paper from the box. Instead, Sofiya handed the box to her father and took her great-grandmother's hand. Drawing Helena behind her, Sofiya sat the Cassadine matriarch in a chair. "Sit, _Babushka_." It was that simple to make Helena Cassadine melt.

"We were so happy that you could come," Elizabeth crossed over from the main buffet table, a plate of cake in her hands, "Sofiya was waiting for her cake until you arrived."

Helena took the plate from her hand and nodded at the empty chair beside her. "You should be sitting, Elizabeth... please."

The unaccustomed entreaty from the matriarch rippled quietly through the gathering. Nikolas took Elizabeth's elbow and eased her in the chair. Chloe and Stefan looked up from their place on a nearby blanket. Stefan tried to hide his affectionate smirk behind a cough and Chloe pressed a kiss into the frothy curls of her son, Ilarion. One hand fisted in her curls as the other grabbed a fistful of cake and nearly stuffed all of it into his mouth.

Once, Elizabeth was seated, Nikolas pressed a kiss to her temple. "I could have brought the cake over. Helena is right, you should be resting."

Elizabeth took her husband's hand in hers and squeezed it gently as her daughter climbed up into Helena's lap with the aid of her brother. Spencer made sure that Sofiya was settled securely. He turned around to look for a place to sit in the nearby area, but Helena beat him to it.

"Bring a chair, Valery. Sit beside us." Helena held the plate before her great-granddaughter.

Spencer smiled as he brought a chair over to place beside Helena. When he had made his peace with his great-grandmother a little over two years ago she had given him a re-birth of sorts.

When his mother had disappeared, leaving him behind on Spoon Island, Spencer had worried that his father and Elizabeth would find a reason to abandon him as well. He had not endeared himself to them with his horrifying behavior.

Not only did Elizabeth forgive him for his stupidity but she welcomed him into their family. And Spencer had returned the favor and his stepmother's love ten-fold. And when his little sister Sofiya Ekaterina Yelena Cassadine was born, he was completely and thoroughly wrapped around her little finger. Helena noticed his change of heart and in honor of his new family, he was gifted a new name, Valery.

Sitting beside his sister and great-grandmother, Valery watched as the raven haired little girl tried to manage the little silver fork on her plate. When the morsel of cake fell from the tines for the second time, he picked up a fork from the buffet and lifted the cake into her mouth.

Some of the frosting stuck to her lips and she grinned wide. Laughter snapped in her sapphirine eyes and her little feet, freed from her lace-edged socks swung back and forth with joy.

Helena handed the little girl a napkin, but didn't seem to notice that Sofiya wiped the frosting onto her hand instead of the linen square. "Is it yummy, Lena?"

Stefan, from his elegant sprawl on the blanket, caught Nikolas' amused grin. "She just can't seem to remember that Sofiya is her real name."

Turning a momentarily frosty look at her son, she grinned a moment later when she saw that the birthday girl was looking up at her. "Sofiya is a perfectly lovely name," she gave Elizabeth a nod, "but I do believe I prefer the 'third' name you gave her."

"It couldn't be because," Nikolas shrugged, "Yelena is the Russian version of Helena?"

Sitting back in her chair, Helena beamed. "Truly a lovely name." She gave Sofiya's knee a pat. "Much more suiting for your heir, Nikolas."

Katherine had been right about one thing. It was possible to change the laws regarding the succession of the title. But when they had the discussion, even Valery had argued against the possibility that he might inherit. He believed that only one change should be made to the law. He wanted Sofiya to inherit. Like Helena and Elizabeth had proved to all of them, the women were the true strength of the Cassadine family.

So, the Cassadine family legacy was changed to allow for the first legitimate child of the current Prince or Princess to rule after their parent passed on.

And it was a weight removed from his shoulder. To him, Katherine had made everyone so very unhappy because of her desire for him to inherit the title. This way, he could concentrate on becoming a better person instead of a prince.

Valery helped his sister to another bite of her cake and with a wink he smooshed a little more of the frosting in the corner of her mouth. Giggling, Sofiya wiped at her mouth, completely forgetting the napkin she had in her other hand.

Hearing her great-granddaughter's laughter, Helena smiled down at her. "Yummy, Lena?"

Nodding, Sofiya leaned against Helena's chest, but the family matriarch didn't bother to worry about her fine silk suit. She was happy to feel the love that the young girl felt for her.

Looking over at Elizabeth, the young mother was smoothing her hands over her rounded belly. "Is the baby very active?"

Elizabeth looked up as Nikolas covered one of her hands with his own. "Yes and no."

The strange answer caught the attention of family gathered around the birthday girl. Chloe gave her dear friend a concerned glance. "What is it?"

Nikolas answered for them. Elizabeth knew he wanted to be the one to explain their news. Grinning down at his beautiful wife he made the announcement. "The babies are fine."

Helena was thrilled! She reached up her free hand and smoothed her fingertips over her perfect strand of Japanese pearls. "Twins? How lovely!"

Sofiya looked up at her great-grandmother and saw the pretty beads around her neck. Reaching up her little hand she touched the white beads like she had seen Helena do it. Neither one of them knew what her sticky little fingers were doing. Helena had her eyes on Elizabeth and Nikolas.

After the unfortunate event prior to their public wedding and the nearly month long recovery from her fall. Elizabeth's pregnancy had been monitored religiously by not only the General Hospital staff, but also the family.

Her only reprieve had been when Chloe came to visit one day, her face aglow with excitement and announced that she and Stefan were expecting a child of their own. It was truly a miracle as the couple had given up hope that they would ever conceive a child. Having created a slew of delightful maternity wear for Elizabeth, Chloe had only to instruct her team of seamstresses to make another set in different colors and both women had enjoyed their pregnancies together.

Nikolas was a proud papa in every sense of the word. He looked over and shared a smile with his son, soon to be a big brother to three younger Cassadines. Valery, as they had all become used to calling him, was quite the accomplished young man.

Once he had given up the entitled attitude that Katherine had struggled to cultivate in him, he had truly become a sweet and loving person. Now, when Nikolas was kept late at the offices in Port Charles or sent away to meetings in other parts of the world, Nikolas could count on Valery to keep an eye on Elizabeth and Sofiya.

And when he was home, Nikolas had included his eldest in discussing the family businesses and in making decisions. Under his tutelage, Valery had revealed himself to be a very intelligent young man with an eye for business.

Valery looked at Helena and smiled. "Would you like to see a picture?" He held out the image and Helena managed to keep the precious paper from Sofiya's grasping fingers. She looked at the ultrasound image and smiled with joy.

"How delightful!" She handed the photo back to Valery and beamed at Elizabeth. "I am so delighted!"

Nikolas squeezed Elizabeth's hand and lifted it to his mouth for a kiss. "After this," he sighed, "no more. I don't think my heart can take it."

Chloe handed her son to Stefan and looked up at Nikolas with shock. "It's not your body having to carry those children, Nikolas."

At the mention of 'body,' Nikolas' eyes roamed over his wife's rounded form. His eyes darkened as he lifted their joined hands to his heart. Leaning closer he whispered words into her ear and Chloe looked away when her dearest friend's cheeks flushed with color.

Stefan averted his eyes when Nikolas pressed his lips to his wife's wrist and Elizabeth's eyes closed in response to his tender and skilled touch.

Chloe caught her husband's amused look and rolled her eyes. "Yes, their last time... right."

Sofiya was completely unaffected by her father's show of affection for her mother. She was entranced by Helena's pearls. Scrambling up in her lap, Sofiya swept her great-grandmother's hair back from her face to press a sloppy kiss to her pale skin. Helena was so pleased by the genuine show of affection she didn't notice that Sofiya's little fingers were smearing frosting in her silver hair.

Valery quickly picked up a number of the linen napkins and quickly wiped off his sister's fingers and helped Helena to clean off most of the frosting that Sofiya had painted on her. When he was nearly done, Helena caught his hand in hers. "Thank you, Valery. That was very kind of you."

He was silent for his voice just didn't work. He managed a shy smile as he found his way back into his chair. He looked around the small family gathering and saw the truth of what was before him. Stefan, a man that used to instill fear in him because of the stories his mother used to tell him. Chloe, who was as kind as she was talented in design. She brought happiness into everyone's life. Little Ilarion, the bright tow-headed little boy who was destined to become a great man.

Helena, the matriarch of the family that had given him such a hard dose of reality when he'd needed it most. And she was the woman that had truly offered him a new life and a new name.

Little Sofiya, his sister in every way that counted. The joy of his young life and a challenge to keep him on his toes.

And his parents, for Nikolas AND Elizabeth had given him the love he had always craved and a home that felt like one. He'd allowed Katherine's words to set him against them and now he knew how they truly felt... and how much his life changed for the better with their love.

The truth was bright indeed.


End file.
